Revelations (an EU book)
by Chloe Benson
Summary: Ten years after Fate of the Jedi, Ben Skywalker is reunited with an old friend from his past. After a mission in which he was once again betrayed by Vestara Khai, Ben returned to Corasaunt and the Jedi with his father, only for Luke to die a few months after they return. Drowning in his own grief Ben turns to his new and irresistible flame for support.
1. Chapter 1

The turbo lift door opened and everyone in the office watched him walk through. He stepped quickly, his eyes straight ahead, a few people offered him soft glances full of sympathy. He didn't respond and stopped outside the one door. He took a deep breath and opened the lock. She was sitting on the chomlink, her golden blond curls falling around her face perfectly. She looked up and nodded slightly to say she'd noticed his presence. She closed up the conversation quickly and then stood. He looked at her and she closed the blinds to the office quickly. The sunlight was the only thing that floated into the room and it seemed to fall around her, kissed her very locks of golden curls and turned them into a halo.

She stepped towards him and he whispered softly, "He's gone. Just like that…"

She stood on her toes and kissed him. He blinked and then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him, holding the one part of his life that was still intact, and to think that she wasn't truly a part of his life, she was just a friend. But the kiss felt like more than that, like she had been building it up for years. She pulled away slowly and whispered, "I'm sorry Ben. I'm still here though. I just want you to know that."

Ben swallowed and pulled her towards him and kissed her again, his fingers locking into the curls that he had looked at and admired for so long. She felt soft and warm in his arms; her skin on her neck was tender and warm. She pulled away slowly and grabbed her coat off the chair behind her; she looked back at him and whispered, "Let's go, right now."  
He smiled and they left the office. A few of the lieutenants looked at her in shock. Their commander of secret operations was just leaving, without consulting upper intelligence?

- She smiled at one of them and said, "Tell everyone that they can have the rest of the day off. Screw Commander Toll, we'll make up everything tomorrow."  
The lieutenants blinked, mouth a gape for a few seconds, then smiled and said, "yes ma'am!"

(/)

The room was darker and her skin pushed up against his. He felt the necklace that he'd given her when they were much younger, push into his chest. But, strangely, he didn't care at the moment. As long as she stayed in the bed with him, letting him have her like this. She gasped for breath around the kiss and he pulled her back up to his lips, he'd never realized how much he's hungered for her. He kissed her neck and she whispered in his ear, "I love you Ben, I always have and always will."

He smiled as he kissed her again.

(/)

The sun came up slowly and landed on them, she stirred in his arms and for a moment he forgot, forgot that his dad had died only last night. Brooke stirred next to him and whispered his name, her hand curling into a fist on his chest. He clutched it like a life line; the fact that he had lost everything simultaneously was what made her so important. Losing Vestara, then his father, both in a matter of months… Brooke was the only thing left that he still had. He kissed her hair softly and she sighed. Her body curled up in his and he curled around her, and they stayed in the bed, warm in each other's presences. Ben shifted slightly and Brooke whispered, "we're in trouble now… aren't we?"

Ben smiled and answered softly, "I like this trouble though."  
Brooke shifted and looked up at him, her face was still slightly flushed and her hair was a mass of tangled curls, but she still looked beautiful. "I'm glad you like it, and I'm glad I like it… But I don't know how much our superiors will."

"I know my dad would have agreed to it. He always said love no matter what shape or form it took was a gift and one that should always stick around."

Brooke smiled and whispered, "I need to get up, and you… need to go back to the Order, you are the Grand Master now, right?"

Ben paused before answering, was he the Grand Master now? Brooke looked up at him and then sat up slowly, her golden locks fell around her and she reached out and her hand caressed his cheek softly. He never realized how he had yearned for the touch of her skin on his own.

She sighed and lay back down next to him and he held her to him. Brooke sighed and whispered, "We can't do this, people will question us and fight us every step of the way."

Ben listened to her soft breathing without answering, they had fought him with Vestara, and he didn't know if he could take them fighting him about Brooke as well.

"We'll have the support of the Jedi, since you were once a Jedi."

"Ben, I was a Jedi, now I'm a Commander in the GA, no one in the government will like this."

Ben took her hands in his own and whispered, "Brooke, for space sake, stop talking and trying to figure out what we're going to say, we just need to be here in this moment right now."

She looked up at him and then smiled, it was a smile that he had loved growing up, one he hadn't seen for a few years when she had left the Order, but now it was here, beaming up at him and it made him glow with happiness to see it.

Slowly he pulled away and she broke away as well, the bedding rustled as she got up to dress. Ben lay looking at the ceiling for a few moments. She buttoned her pants and was in the process of putting on her jacket when Ben slipped up behind her. His arms wound around her hips and he kissed her neck, her curls feel on his cheek and he could smell the sweet sent they had.

His fingers deftly buttoned her jacket up and he ran his hands softly down her frame to her hips. She smiled and whispered, "tonight, meet me here, we'll be together again."

Ben smiled and kissed her neck, he turned away and began to dress as well, pulling on a shirt and running his fingers through his ill kept auburn hair. Brooke grabbed her belt and hooked it around her waist; for being a member of the secret opts in the GA she dressed more like a smuggler. Her pants hugged her lean muscled legs and hips, her shirt seemed to come only to mid-belly, her jacket covered her for the most part, and she carried a DL-44, a blaster she'd threatened to shoot him with on multiple occasions.

She clipped the rest of her random items onto her belt that she insisted had pulled her through more tight places than she could remember. Ben watched her for a moment more as she pulled her curls up out of her eyes and set them with a pin. Ben smiled as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt and went to leave. Brooke smiled at him in the mirror and he left with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Brooke stood above her entire crew on the small platform above them, they all were working almost double time and she felt horrible that she had called them off yesterday, but she'd had one of them come up and thank her, since as soon as he had gotten home his wife had gone into labor with their child and he'd been able to make it because she'd excused them all.

A small part of her glowed with the thought of what she had left to do last night. For some reason she could still feel Ben's hands tracing her body, hugging her hips to him, his hand pressing into her back, she wondered if she'd accidentally left bruises on him with what her hands had been doing. She curled her fingers around the railing that ran along the platform, separating the pit form her like a star ship control room. One of them looked up at her and nodded, she vaulted herself into the pit and came up behind the woman.

The woman was Yola Roko, she was a smaller Chev who has escaped slavery through Freedom Flight. Brooke leaned forward and read through the article that was on the screen. She paused at the word "Fallout". She frowned and said, "source this before we bring this before the chief of state."

Yola nodded and began running the article through as many servers as they were allowed to use, which was almost all of them.

Brooke paused before going back up to her perch; did those around her know that she once carried a lightsaber on her hip and that only a few years ago they had been trying to use articles to prove that people like her were trying to over throw the government?

No, they didn't know, and they never would. They were probably shocked of course by Ben's sudden appearance and how he'd been able to get down here considering the fact that this place was supposed to not exist. They didn't know that she had given him the pass codes to the turbolift floor that they were located on. They didn't know that she had given her virginity to a Jedi last night, let alone the son of the late Grand Master. She walked up the steps and leaned against the railing where she could observe Yola and all those bellow her.

They trusted her with their lives and she would never put them in danger without know that she would be able to get them and herself out of it. She paused and observed one of the younger members of the team to the side, he was whispering quietly to someone. She never did this, but she hated secrets with a passion, she stretched out with the little bit of Force power she had left and listened in.

"Yeah, I just find it strange that he shows up and then she leaves with him as quickly as she showed up, then she tells us all to take the night off."

"I don't see what's wrong with her being close to him. You do know that his dad died a few hours before he showed up. She was probably being like any good friend, taking him in and helping him."

Brooke smiled, leave it to Hesa to tell the younger off. But the next comment the younger said chilled her to the bone.

"They seemed a lot more than just friends, I think they have a little something that they shouldn't have."  
Hesa narrowed her eyes and spit softly, "Would you like to run around on the streets like you were before Brooke took you under her wing. She's the reason you weren't brain washed and sent back out. When they fired you she leaped at the chance to have you work for her, you should be honored."

Brooke felt her heart swell with pride, she would have to find some way to thank Hesa, maybe slip a few of the credit in her account to Hesa and tell her that she should take it as a gift for how hard she was working.

Brooke called out to Hesa. The young Fallen looked up and Brooke called her up to the platform. Hesa rose quickly and followed the order without question. A few seconds later she was standing before Brooke. The older female nodded her head respectfully and Brooke smiled. "I know you're very busy, I was wondering how your mother was doing?"

Hesa smiled and said in her beautifully accented Basic, "She's well thank you."

Brooke smiled and said a little softer, almost a whisper, "I know it's not my place to get into employee conversations, but the little argument you and…"

She paused; she didn't really know the young man's name. Hesa smiled and covered for her. "Couper, and he was discussing his point of view on how you and Jedi Knight Skywalker left together."

Brooke almost told Hesa, the Fallen was old enough to speak with, and to keep Brooke's secret. Brooke sighed and said, "I'm sure you're all a little curious, but nothing happened, I just walked with him for a little bit, he was very shaken by his father dying."

The Fallen sighed and said, "Indeed, many mourned the passing of Grand Master Skywalker, but Ben is the new Grand Master, no?"

Brooke had asked Ben that question this morning and his expression and confirmed the answer.

"Yes, he is the Grand Master now, so he will be referred to now in this command as Jedi Master Skywalker, or Grand Master Skywalker if you would like to."

Hesa nodded and Brooke dismissed her, she noticed that Couper didn't speak anymore. She nodded, good, she'd shown her power without embarrassing the young man. Yola waved Brooke back down and this time she took the stairs down and joined Yola. The Chev was bristling and Brooke didn't need to Force to see that the Chev was furious. She felt it too, as soon as she saw who the article was about. Apparently, Javis Tyler was back at it, and he had a new story lead. And Brooke reused for this lead to reach Ben's desk.

(/)

She stood before Whyn Dorvin, he had unfortunately been forced to take the position of Chief of State, it had taken he and she only a year after the Jedi had left Corasaunt to get the Senate to see the error in that move and the Jedi had been back on Corasaunt only a few months after that. He looked through the article and whispered, "that poor kid, he's got to deal with his dad and now this?!"

Brooke nodded and stood with her hand on her hip, to tell the truth, it was taking all her will power and the Jedi calm she still had not to march over the Javis Tyler and give him a whipping he'd never forget. Whyn sighed and set the data pad down, he looked up at Brooke with tired eyes and said, "I need you to go the Jedi and bring this before them."

Brooke nodded, Whynn was the only one in the whole GA that knew she had once been a Jedi, and they would take it better from her then from anyone else.

(/)

The apprentice took her through the temple and up to the Council Chambers, that was a good sign, she would at least be able to bring this before the whole Jedi Order. The door opened and the apprentice announced her presence to the masters. She felt Ben reaching out and stroking her Force presence, no one in the chamber would feel it but her. She smiled and bowed before them. The apprentice was dismissed and Brooke searched for Ben, he looked at her and smiled softly. He'd traded in his usual black ensemble for a simple set of tan and white robes.

Corran Horn nodded to her politely and she bowed her head respectfully. Ben leaned back in the seat his father had once occupied; he looked comfortable, almost like being in the place where his father had once sat was comforting. Brooke nodded in his direction then spoke calming and carefully, trying to choose words that wouldn't send the entire Jedi Council off the deep end.

"Javis Tyler is at it again, and I didn't want to bring this before the entire council considering the fact that it really only considers the Grand Master."

Saba frowned and her tail slowly moved side to side.

"Which Grand Master?"

Brooke frowned and said, "Ben, this concerns Ben."

They all looked at Ben and Brooke swallowed heavily. "Javis Tyler stated that the Jedi Order would fall apart due to the fact that those who were gone, I believe he meant the late Grand Master, were not present to keep the young in place."

Ben's legs crossed at the ankles and he seemed to grow very uncomfortable, and it broke Brooke's heart to tell him the next part.

"And… He said that the GA should look forward to the Jedi joining with the Sith once more, and the Grand Master who has now taken his place in the Order, is still involved with a Sith woman by the name of Vestara Khai."

Brooke paused from reading the article to look up at Ben. He was sitting with his hands gripping the arms of the chair, his knuckles turning white. Brooke closed the datapad and said, "I was wondering how you wanted to proceed with this information."

Everyone was looking at Ben, he looked horrified and scared, his presence curling in on itself as he tried to hide from the words. Slowly he swallowed and with a voice that was laced with agony he said, "Javis has a right to what he wishes to believe, be it fact or fiction, for now, you don't have to do anything, but should he say anything to slander anyone else I must ask you to bring it before us."

Brooke nodded and bowed. Jaina laid a hand on Ben's arm and seemed to confirm that his choice was truly the best one. Brooke turned and as she left she felt Ben wrapping around her, despite for her, she sent love to him, and not the hungering she felt but the soft, glowing love.

(/)

The sun was setting and Brooke stood on the balcony a glass of wine in her hand, watching the Corasaunt evening take form. She heard the door open and Ben's arms wound around her. She closed her eyes and slipped into them. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Thank you for bring that before the Council, it forced me to make a level decision, not one based on my feelings."

Brooke smiled and broke away, she set the wine glass on the little table and sat on the bench that she had pulled onto the balcony so when there were beautiful sunsets like these, she could enjoy them. Ben sat down softly next to her and took her hand in his and Brooke slowly lay in his arms. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into his arms. Her feet tucked under her and Ben held her to him.

They both watched the sun set in silence until Ben said, "when I came to see him the last time he told me that over the course of my life I was going to have to climb more hills than I was going to stand on the top of, and that if I was standing on top of one for too long, then I was doing something wrong. He also told me that when I meet the one woman who I knew I was going to be with forever that I would know because when I looked into her eyes, I would see my own love reflected in her eyes."

Brooke looked up and kissed his lips softly.

"I hope you can see your love in my eyes, because I can see mine."

Ben smiled and laid his cheek on her hair. The sun disappeared and the lights on the city began to glow brighter. Brooke smiled and stood slowly, she pulled Ben's hand and brought him inside. He smiled and pulled her into his arms and kissed her while she led him into her room.

(/)

Ben lay awake; he listened to Brooke's soft breathing next to him. Was he standing on a hill right now, or climbing up one? He wished his dad were here so he could see how much Ben loved Brooke. Ben wished he could bring Brooke before Luke and say, "I love her more than anything, I think the Force truly wanted me with her."

He smiled at what he thought his father would say. He looked down at Brooke, curled up in the side of his body. He laid his cheek on her hair and reaching in the Force he could feel Brooke's heart beat in his ears. It was such a warm sound, a sound that sounded like bird song to him. Her heart beating was all he needed he didn't know what he would do if that sound stopped.

He closed his eyes and sighed, willing himself to mind walk, his father had forbidden Ben from using the technique when he was younger, but Ben needed to speak with his parents.

He walked through the world that Abeloth had once occupied, a world that she was no doubt still a part of, one that Ben would have to deal with again no doubt. But he hoped he would never have to. He made it to the Lake of Apparitions sooner than he thought. He walked out into the water and stepped carefully, he looked through all the faces, hoping to see a familiar set of faces looking up at him.

Then he saw them and his heart swelled, he wondered if her could talk to them both at the same time. It was worth the try to him, no one was here to see him fail. He crouched down like his father had down before and whispered his parents names.

His mother was the first to the surface, his father followed, those blue eyes with had always held a love for him, one that was both constructive and powerful. Ben smiled and said, "before you go and tell me that I shouldn't be doing this, I came to see you both for a reason."

Him mothers mouth closed softly and she said, "fine, but Ben you really can't come here anymore, if Abeloth comes for you again-"

"Then I will know how to handle her."

His mother's jade green eyes flashed and his father smiled, Ben smiled as well and said, "dad, I've thought about what you told me before you died. About hills and the woman I love."

Mara looked at her husband with a sense of awe.

'You gave him relationship advice?"

Luke smiled and replied with a soft comment, "Some that I probably should have given myself before going after you."

Mara snorted and Ben smiled.

"I found the girl. I found her and I'm sure she's the one."

Mara smiled and Luke nodded, his blue eyes watching his son intently.

"Let me guess, a blond woman, with dark blue eyes, she carried a DL-44 and threatened the shoot you with it, she's also the commander of a secret operation in the GA."

Ben smiled and said, "that's the one."

Luke shook his head a smile on his face, Mara smiled at well, her jade eyes lighting up with joy for her son.

"Brooke's the one, I should have known, you two were inseparable a kids."

Ben smiled sadly and said, "Vestara and I were like the Force preparing me for something, trying to show me something, and it did, it showed me that Brooke was the one that was always there. I was just too blindly in love with Vestara to see it."

Luke's smile widened and he said, "I was waiting to hear you say that, for you to realize what the Force wanted to tell you all along."

Ben smiled and said, "you knew that I would end up with Brooke, didn't you?"

Luke smiled and said, "Ben, I don't know what you're talking about."

Ben smiled as well and his mother began to disappear as she sank she whispered, "don't join us too soon alright sweet heart, and make sure you don't name your kids after dead Jedi."  
Luke smiled and nodded to his son, Ben felt his throat close up, this was the last time he would see his parents before he died, and suddenly he had a million questions. Luke smiled up at him and said, "we're always with you Ben, a part of you and the Force."

Then they were gone and Ben was left feeling surer of himself than he had been in days.

(/)

The sun had come up, and everyday Ben slept there with Brooke, and everyday he left at the same time and she left a few minutes later than him, as to not arouse suspicion about why they were leaving at the same time. Soon, he knew, they would have to go public with their affair. He paused before leaving today though, it had been two months since the night she had first invited him into her bed, and he had never felt more confident about what he was about to do. Brooke stopped putting up her hair and said, "you're supposed to be gone by now."

Ben smiled and pulled her away from the mirror and towards the bed, he sat down and she sat down next to him. His heart was in his throat, even though he felt sure of her answer.

"Do you think we've been together long enough?"

Brooke paused for a moment to think about his question before giving him her answer, "Yes, I do think so."

Ben nodded and slipped down on one knee in front of her, he kept her hands in his own and said, "I've been thinking about this for a long time, trying to come up with the perfect place and the perfect words to say. And I realized that it didn't matter where I did this, as long as you were the one that I was speaking to when I say this."

Brooke blinked at him; he had an idea that she knew what was coming. He swallowed and said, "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there I wouldn't have been able to pull myself together after my dad's death, which it why I want you to be by my side for the rest of the time that I'm alive."

Brooke smiled and he could see her eyes welling up tears. He smiled and with a shaky breath said, "I don't care what anyone else says, I love you more than I love my own life, and to be with you forever would complete me. Which is why with an open heart and mind I ask you that you take my hand and become come my wife."

Brooke sat silently for a moment then whispered, "yes, I would like to complete you, and I want you to know that you would be completing me as well."

Ben smiled and stood up, Brooke wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her. She smiled and placed her forehead against his.


	3. Chapter 3

They walked into the temple together, Ben's arm around her waist, and the ring around her left ring finger. He'd found his mother's engagement ring and had given it to her. A few of the Jedi knew instantly, mostly Ben's family. Jaina hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I'd rather have you for a cousin in law than Vestara anyway."

Brooke smiled as she broke away and Leia hugged her, then Ben puts his arm back around Brooke's waist and he said, "We need to go public with it still, but we wanted you to know before we did it."

Jaina smiled and said, "And we'll be behind you every step of the way."

Her smile fell and she said, "one word of advice for you both, don't let your duties get in the way, in the long run, having each other is more important that having a position in whatever you do."

Ben smiled and said, "We've got that covered."

(/)

The sun sat on the edge of the buildings and Brooke watched it, she twirled the ring on her finger slowly and then smiled when she looked down at it. There was a knock on the door and Brooke slipped around, she tucked the ring in the drawer of her desk and called the person to enter. The door was opened by a rather harsh looking man, but his laugh lines and soft gray eyes seemed to betray the look.

Brooke smiled and sat comfortably in her chair; she crossed one of her legs over the other and said, "Captain Toll, what can I do for you?"

Captain Toll smiled his eyes light up handsomely, he shook his head and he sat down in the seat across from Brooke, watching her with his eyes that had suddenly become full of question that he had never looked at her with. Brooke shifted but hid it with a simple flip of her hair. Captain Toll sighed and said, "from what I've been hearing and sometimes seeing for myself, you've been spending a lot of your time around Master Skywalker."

Brooke swallowed and then replied with an even voice, "we are just friend's sir, I don't see what's so wrong with that."

Captain Toll sighed and then replied with a slightly worried tone, "Brooke, I've been in this galaxy and in my position a lot longer than you, and all I have to say is that you need to be careful, the government won't take lightly to you two being together."

Brooke smiled, she'd been prepared for this conversation to come forward and she wasn't afraid to take the upper level above her command.

"Sir, what about his cousin and Imperial Head of State Fel, they were married and in love, why is me being near and talking with Master Skywalker so horrible?"

Captain Toll frowns and says, "don't get me wrong, I'm at the age where being in love is a wonderful thing, and believe me, I'm not questioning you. But I will tell you this; you are sworn under a secret oath, to keep everything you learn here, besides what is approved by the Chief of State, a secret."

Brooke frowned and then added with a little ice behind it, "why would I want to give away something that could put my crew and team in danger?"

Captain Toll sighed and then stood, he ran his fingers through his graying hair and said, "Don't go get all up tight on me, all I want is for you to keep your job and stay in this government, you keep this branch running."

Brooke frowned and said in a softer voice, "I understand Captain, and I will try to keep to my oath, but should something arise that Master Skywalker needs to know, then I will try my best to keep the oath."

Captain Toll frowned and then sighed, the lines in his face becoming more prominent than before.

"If you think it's best, and the situation arises, then you may."

Brooke smiled and sat back comfortably in her chair and nodded. She stood then and walked the Captain out onto the cat walk that led around the room and to the door. The Captain left and those in the pit looked up at her, she nodded and then stood in her position that she always took up.

The crew below her relaxed and began where they had left off, if their commander was relaxed, then they had nothing to worry about.

Later that day the door opened and Brooke turned around, her hand flying to the blaster on her hip. Whynn Dovin covered his face and cried, "don't shoot!"

Brooke rolled her eyes and said, "Chief of State, I would have thought you would have contacted me before coming down here."

Whynn smiled and replied as he lowered his hands from his face, "yes, well I believe I forgot to do so. While I remind myself to do that next time, I need to speak with you."

Brooke frowned and then said, "is it something that is needed to be said in my office?"

Whynn nodded and Brooke sighed, her face fell and she began to walk with Whynn sprinting to catch up to her.

Hesa stood and said, "Commander?"

Brooke looked at the older fallen and said, "yes?"

"There's something that you need to see, before you go and-"

"Send it to my computer I'll take a look at it when I'm done."

Hesa nodded and sat down, she began the task of copying whatever it was she needed Brooke to see. Then she would attach it to a secret Holofeed and then send it with a password that Brooke would know but anyone who saw the message and tried to read it wouldn't.

Brooke sat comfortably in her chair and said, "can I get you something? Caf, water, anything?"

Whynn sighed and sat down. "For what I have to tell you, I won't be here long."

Brooke nodded and leaned back, relaxing her hands on her thighs. Whynn shifted and said, "The Senate has voted me out of office."

Brooke froze and her voice struggled to come out, "What?!"

Whynn sighed and said softly, "my leadership skills are not what's in question, but whether or not I'm going to continue with what Daala started, the Senate is bureaucrats, they do only what they think will help them."

"That means kriffing nothing! You've been the stable minded being this government needs to keep moving forward!"

Whynn smiled and said, "Well, thank you. But for now I'm here to warn you that they may get rid of this branch of government. So, keep your friends close my dear."

Brooke shifted uncomfortably and then whispered, "And you watch your back Whynn."

He smiled and stood, his simple robes trailing on the ground as he walked with Brooke across the catwalk to the turbolift lobby door. Brooke nodded respectfully and said, "Good bye Whynn, I hope for the sake of the Galactic Alliance, that you get voted back into office."

Whynn smiled and as he turned to leave said, "you and me both my dear."

(/)

Ben sat comfortably, his boots were up on the table and his eyes followed Brooke as she walked across the room over and over again. Ben sighs softly and says, "There's nothing you can do about this."

Brooke frowned and leaned her weight onto her hip; her dark blue eyes were stormy and furious. Ben smiled and held his hands out to show her his comment meant her no offence.

"It's not the fact that I can't do anything Ben, it's the fact that soon, I could be out of a job, or worse, working under some tyrant who has an agenda of his own."

Ben frowned and ran his hand down his face and sighed, he looked tired and spirit worn when he spoke.

"Brooke my love, if there's one thing you can do, it's to stop putting the fate of the Galactic Alliance in your hands, your hand's are eventually going to tired and then you will lose you grip."

Brooke frowned and replied, "I do have the fates of all those who work under me Ben, if I go they go too."

"Then, you have something to work towards, besides you don't even know who this new chief of state is."

Brooke rolled her eyes and sank next to her fiancé on the couch.

"If I had to take one guess, I would say Daala, Palepitien, or the dead Jacen Solo."

(/)

Ben shifted and pulled Brooke closer to him, she sighed and her hand curled into a fist on his chest. He took her hand in one of his own and matched his breathing with her own. The only sounds in the room were the soft sound of speeder traffic outside, and the deep breathing of both him and Brooke. He closed his eyes and felt the first fringes of sleep on the edge of his mind, before they were chased away by the shrill sound of his chomlink crying to be answered.

He sighed heavily and Brooke stirred in his arms then rolled over towards the other side of the bed. Ben sat up slowly and took the object of his annoyance off of the night side table. He answered it and the first thing he heard was a slight static, then a soft voice.

"Ben… how I've missed you… I'm coming home Ben…. I'm coming home to you."

Ben froze and he felt Brooke stir and sit up, she leaned back though on her elbows and said, "who in space is trying to-"

Ben silenced her with a soft Force whisper. She blinked and narrowed her eyes, it was apparent Brooke knew the name of the mysterious caller. Ben frowned and replied with a level voice.

"There's not need to return Vestara, you had your chances, and now I've moved on."

There was silence then a soft voice again.

"Then I will find her, the woman who you're sleeping next to, and I will make her death long and painful."

There was a click as the channel closed and Ben swallowed heavily Brooke snorted next to him and laid back down.

"Glad that's settled, I'm going back to sleep now."

Ben laid next to her and pulled her into his arms slowly, he curled his body around her, and wrapped his Force presence around her; Vestara would follow through with her threat, and Ben could only hope that he was there to finish his tempter one and for all.


	4. Chapter 4

It felt like the weeks that passed blurred together and a warm summer arrived on Corasunt. Brooke smiled as she stood out on the balcony with Ben, he sat back on the chair and said, "Spring, it's the time of new life."

Brooke smiled and replied coyly, "well, I'd hate to wait that long, you've had me waiting for almost two months."

Ben smiled as well and said, "But the spring would mean more time for us to plan."

"We don't need a huge ceremony; all we need is someone to wed us."

Ben nodded and then replied, "You're still going to follow through on the Jedi ceremony?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Ben smiled and leaned back with his hands behind his head.

"Good because that's set. II guess we can always have the Jedi ceremony after the actual wedding."

Brooke sighed and smiled at how broken hearted Ben seemed about that.

"But then I would feel like we've already put everything together, and that ceremony wouldn't be as special as you've told me it is."

Ben frowned and said, "you do know my Aunt is going to make a huge deal out of this, the Holonews is already starting to get interested."

Brooke smiled and replied softly while looking carefully at her fiancé.

"Let them be interested, there hasn't been a Skywalker wedding for almost three decades."

Ben frowned and said, 'that's what I'm worried about, that people are going to pin hopes on us a couple trying to see how similar we are to my parents. People are already putting bets on how long it is before a Sith kills you for spaces sake!"

Brooke laughed and leaned against the railing, her arms crossed comfortably across her chest as she answered Ben's comment with her own, "And we both know that I can handle myself and all the Holo wants is something to get people interested."

Ben sighed and stood, his robes replaced by a pair of simple pants and a jacket, he wrapped his arms around Brooke and placed his forehead against hers.

"Maybe we should go somewhere quiet and get married, like Naboo, or Yavin, somewhere that no one will see it but our close family and friends."

Brooke smiled and wrapped her arms around Ben's neck, she kissed his nose and said, "You find me a system and I'll do some research."

Ben smiled and pulled her even closer to him, so that his chest was pushing into hers, and she had no choice but the wrap one of her legs around his in order to stay standing.

"A small system would be perfect, it would be just me, you, my family and yours. Small enough for you?"

Brooke laughed and he kissed her softly.

(/)

Brooke moved slowly in the dress, it flowed to the floor and blossomed out at her hips, but the top was tight fitting with showed off her lean stomach. Brooke frowned and slowly looked over her shoulder at the back of the dress. She ran a hand through her hair and said, "I like it, it's very simple, which is perfect."

Ben's aunt Leia gave her a smile and said, "And you'll make it even lovelier on the day of the wedding."

Brooke frowned and said, "You are going to stick to the plan right? Small, only family and close family friends."

Leia smiled slyly and said, "I'd hate to break you're bubble, but Ben's father collected quite a few close family friends over his years."

I frown and say, "The Jedi ceremony is where they will be, the smaller private wedding will be just family."

Leia frowned and said, "You two are disappointing a large number of public people who want to see you two married."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and slipped into her room and began to strip the dress off her lean body.

"Well that's too bad, because Ben and I want it to be privet."

Leia sighed outside and said, "I wish you two would listen to me."

Brooke smiled as she dressed quickly and then walked back out into the living room where Leia was sitting on the couch carefully dressed in casual clothing. Her hair was softly pulled back into the casual style that she normally wore it in when she was around the house. Brooke pulled her own hair out of her eyes and said, "Besides, having a small wedding means less attention and therefore exactly what we want."

Leia frowned and crossed one leg over the other and said, "But you and Ben are getting everything but little attention."

Brooke frowned and crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed and she replied, "Still, we don't want people being there that we really could care less about."

"Yes, well you and Ben need to realize that these people want to see you and Ben married."

The door opened and Ben stepped through, his auburn hair was slightly unkempt, but he still looked extremely handsome with it. Brooke smiled and Ben crossed to her, her kissed her cheek softly and then said, "I trust you found the dress you're going to wear."

Brooke nodded and Ben smiled. Leia sighed and said, "Alright, I can see it, you two want to be alone."

Ben smiled and said, "Then we'll see you tonight, thank you again for keeping this as quiet as possible."

Leia smiled and nodded as she left her boots making little sounds as she crossed to the door and closed it behind her. As soon as she was gone Brooke smiled at Ben and he pulled her into his arms and said, "So, when this is all over, I was thinking we could go on a small short honey moon somewhere, just for a few days, just to be on our own."

Brooke smiled and said, "That sounds… interesting, and very inviting."

Ben smiled and slowly he pulled Brooke into the bedroom.

(/)

Ben kissed Brooke's neck and slowly pulled away from her, her breathing was soft and partially quick, she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "this was perfect, better than every other time."

Ben smiled and slowly he kisses her gently, she turned away and Ben kissed her neck again. Slowly Ben pulled away and Brooke lay against Ben's chest, she smiled and whispered, "I can hear your heartbeat Ben."  
Ben smiled and took her hands in his own. "You keep it beating, you will always."

Brooke smiled and closed her eyes, Ben smoothed down her hair and then whispered, "I love you."

Brooke laughed softly and then said, "I love you as well."

(/)

The next day was busy, preparations were being made almost everywhere for the new chief of states entrance into office. Brooke fixed the collar of her dark navy blue uniform, Ben positioned her medal of bravery, which she had earned for leading a flight squadron against Abeloth on Coresaunt, she had landed in the middle of the battle, shot a few Sith and had taken a few of the people who were injured to safety and had been the only surviving member of her squadron. Ben smiled and said, "Be happy, we have a chief of state again."

Brooke frowned at him and said, "That depends on who this man is."

Ben smiled and said, "I'll be somewhere on the other side of the Fellowship Plaza, you can look for me if you get nervous during your speech."

Brooke snorted and said, "Oh shut yourself, if I get nervous it won't help us for me to stare right at you."

Ben chuckled softly and then kissed Brooke on the cheek.

"We'll see my love."

(/)

Brooke sat on the platform in the center of the Fellowship Plaza, surrounded by beings of all species. Brooke sighed and sat up straighter. Captain Toll smiled and shifted next to her.

"How are you doing my dear?"

Brooke smiled and gave Captain Toll a sideways look, before saying, "I would be much more pleased if the Chief of State would actually show up."

Captain Toll nodded, his eyes narrowing and his smile disappearing almost entirely. Brooke looked across the way where the Jedi were entering the area. A one man leaped forward and sneered something at Ben. He smiled and stopped walking. The man hissed and spit more, a few GAG officer stepped forward but Ben held his hand out and they stopped. The man took a step forward so he was straight in Ben's face. He spit a few more words and Ben said only a few words, the man stepped back and Ben continued with his intended course.

The crowd parted and Ben stepped up onto the platform, his brown robes moves slightly in the breeze and he crossed to the seat that had been given to him. A few more people on the edge of the stage jeered at him and spit insults. Brooke watched in horrid fascination, what had her fiancé done recently to receive such ridiculing comments?

Ben inclined his head politely to each and every single member of the GAG command when he passed them. When he reached Brooke he gave his fiancé and smile and inclined his head. Captain Toll stood and firmly shook Ben's hand. Ben smiled and Captain Toll nodded and said, "I'm surprised Jedi, you've become very much like your father."

Ben smiled and said, "I appreciate the complement, for you to say that I'm like my father mean I'm doing something right at least."

Captain Toll nodded and Ben took his seat on the other side of Captain Toll. A silence fell over the crowd, even those who had been jeering at Ben had grown silent, there was little to no patients left in the people.

Ben frowned and leaned over and whispered something to Captain Toll. The Captain nodded and then responded in an even softer whisper. Suddenly the crowd parted and a group of GAG officers walked around a single man. Brooke stood and everyone else on the stage stood as well, accepting the man who mounted up the steps. Ben frowned and Brooke watched him out of the corner of her eye. When the GAG officers broke apart Brooke felt her stomach drop and her heart clutch in agony.

The man stepped across the stage he offered her a smile and as he stepped before her and Captain Toll her bowed to her and when he straighten up, he took her hand and kissed it gently. Ben stiffened and then man let go of Brooke's hand. The crowd seemed to roar in acceptance. Captain Toll nodded and the new Chief of State stepped before Ben and said, "Master Skywalker, an honor to meet you finally, with all the stories I heard about you and your father, I thought you would be… taller."

Ben smiled and said, "An honor, Chief of State."

The Chief of State stopped forward to the podium, all those present stayed standing, and Brooke watched the man she had once loved, at least who she thought she loved, when she really still deeply loved Ben. Rian, how she hoped she would never see him again, he had tried to propose to her on board her star destroyer in front of the entire mission staff.

When she had left quickly to think about, Ben's father had come to find her, having sensed the great conflict in her. She had confined her feelings into the man who had let her willingly leave his Order with little to no problems; he even let her keep her weapon. And when they had returned, Brooke had turned him down. Rian had been furious, and had almost given away the entire operation; Brooke at the last second had volunteered herself to be the tortured victim that way nothing about the mission would be given away.

When they had finished with her, she had been branded by Vestara, Ben's lover had betrayed them, and to torture Brooke she had burned Brooke with the tip of her lightsaber, burning small patterns in Brooke's shoulders and neck. Now, they were nothing but scars, and Ben's father had gotten rid of almost all of them, but Brooke had kept a few of them, a reminder to herself of how strong she really could be when she was in pain.

Rian began speaking, his voice low and his Correlian accent coming though almost instantly.

"We are all still coming back; we are all still working towards a future where we are no longer at war inside our own ranks."

Brooke frowned, where was he getting this, there was never fighting within the military ranks, oaths to the positions had subdued that.

"We begin again, we being where we should have with the rebuilding of the military, new security measures that keep things from entering our government and military that have reason to be there!"

There were shouts of approval, Ben frowned and said, "he has no idea what he is claiming."

Brooke frowned and Rian continued, gaining momentum and support with his words.

"We can't afford another civil war, we can't afford another war! We need to stand together, and the only way we can do so is by joining the military with the government."

Brooke faltered, she could see where this was going even without the Force, Ben saw it as well, because he went to step forward and warn Rian before he made a fool of himself, or gave away Brooke and Ben's engagement.

Rian smiled and said, "And to do so," he reached his hand out to Brooke, he smiled and Brooke stepped forward, Rian smiled and continued, "I know that last time I asked you was not one of the best times, but almost year away from you has made my love for you only grow."

Ben frowned and a few of the Jedi stiffened, Leia stepped forward but she was stopped.

Rian smiled and said, "Brooke, Commander, you have my heart in your hands, and I must ask you now to not only help me but those who stand at your feet. They need a government that is joined, therefore, I ask for you to join me, not just as a joint commander in the military, but also as my wife and the woman I love."

There were shouts of joy and many were answering the question for her. Brooke looked at Rian and said and her voice carried out into the audience, "I'm afraid that… this is something for us to discuss in privet."

There shouts of displeasure and fury from the crowd. Rian laughed, he didn't seem the least bit discouraged. He took Brooke other hand in his and said, "I know, I really should have told you before this, but I was denied contact with you, apparently I wasn't allowed to speak to anyone, until I took the oath of office, but to see you is energizing to say the least."

Brooke sighed and said quietly to him, "Rian, listen to me, this is not something you want to ask before these people-"

"NO matter, you want time to think, I will only show them my patients, you may have the time you so desire, but my feeling and heart are in your hands, and I look forward to your answer."

Brooke looked down from the podium at Ben, he hung his head and then looked up, he sighed and nodded. Brooke looked into Rian's eyes and said so that everyone would hear, "I'm sorry, but Rian I can't marry you."

Rian frowned and the crowd grew deathly silent. Brooke swallowed and said, "I can't marry you because I'm already engaged."

Rian blinked in shock and then he seemed to recover almost instantly to say, "well then, where is the lucky man who has won your heaert where I failed to?"

Brooke swallowed and looked at Ben, slowly Ben stepped forward and slowly he took Brooke's hand in his own. Brooke stepped towards Ben and whispered softly, "I tried to tell you Rian, I really did."

Rian swallowed, his face drained of all its color quickly, and it seemed that even thr sky grew dark. There were shouts of anger and fury from the crowd, Rian's face went from confusion and shock, to anger in no second at all it seemed. Brooke shook her head and whispered, "Rian please, you need to finish your speech, please."

Ben took Brooke down from the podium, Rian grabbed Ben's arm and there were shouts of approval from the crowd. Rian narrowed his eyes and whispered, "If you know what's best for her, and you truly love her, then you would take the ring off her finger now."

Ben narrowed his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, but I love her too much to do that."

Rian let go and said, "Then you have made you choice Jedi, and I have made mine."

The crowd seemed furious, and when Rian stepped up to the podium their shouts grew in his name, Brooke took her place and the people in the front of the stage spit remarks at her that she merely forced herself to ignore. The shouts grew more furious though, until someone actually was on the stage and almost to her, Ben was in front of her in a second though, the man's blaster in his grip and he whispered, "you don't want to do that."

The man sneered and the GAG members were on top of him in seconds. Ben had Brooke in his arms in seconds, wrapping himself around her, the crowd was furious now. There were shouts and the Jedi seemed to be trying to do all they could to keep the violence from exploding into total chaos. A few gun shots sounded and Brooke saw Rian's men leading him through the crowd, the people seemed to surge around him demanding Brooke's blood. Ben held her tightly to him and when Rian was gone the few remaining who continued to try to show their power vanished with their slogans and words staining the air. When they were all gone, the GAG went around and began to check their ranks for wounded. Brooke slowly sank from Ben's arms onto her hands and knees, Ben was on his own knees next to her in a second, she sobbed and he held her tightly.


	5. Chapter 5

Brooke sat on the couch with Ben and Leia narrowed her eyes as she paced her husband Han sat casually, his boots propped up on the table. Ben sat with Brooke's hands in his own. Jaina narrowed her eyes and spit, "this is out of hand, there was never protest to Jag's love and mine."

Jagged Fel nodded but didn't speak from his position by the door to the balcony. Ben placed his forehead against Brooke's slowly and she whispered, "This is all my fault, I need to tell him yes, then tell him in privet, I tarnished his reputation, the people are rioting, they'll kill any government agent who goes anywhere. Ben shook his head and whispered, "No, the people are afraid the government and military will act. I'm more interested in how they found arms."

Han smiled and said, "Like your dad kid, you miss the simple stuff."  
Ben looked over his shoulder at his uncle and Leia narrowed her eyes.

'Fine Han, go ahead and tell us what Ben missed." Leia's words were meant to be warmer, but they came out icy as the outbacks of Hoth. Han smiled and said, "Simple, someone's arming them, someone on the inside, I wouldn't be surprised it the new guy's doing it, it would explain their dying regard for him."

Leia narrowed her eyes and continued pacing. Ben swallowed and whispered, "it's theses times that I wish I wasn't alone, that he was still here to help us though these things."

Leia shook her head and said, "I doubt even Luke would have been able to get control of that crowd, they were furious with the announcement."

Ben frowned and replied, "why though, why so furious? It's not like we're joining the Sith and Jedi together, she's not Vestara. It's almost the exact same thing as my mom and dad."  
Leia sighed and said, "there was a difference, there was rift to close, that rift is closed now, and the people probably think this is a joining of the Jedi to the government and we all know how that went before."

"I still don't see a difference." Ben whispered, his eyes wandering to the rainy afternoon outside. Ben sighed and then very quietly stood, his robes trailed along the floor as he walked into the room he shared with Brooke. Brooke sighed and then said, "for all we know, we really will have to have a small privet wedding."

Jaina smiled and said, "You're going to have to get used to this stuff happening to you, believe me, it doesn't get any easier actually being in the family."

Brooke smiled and said, "You all really should get out of here, before any more riots start and you have nowhere to go."  
(/)

A few hours later Brooke opened the door to the dark room where he fiancé was sitting with his legs in a mediation pose, his legs tucked underneath him comfortably, with his eyes closed and his breathing deep. Slowly she approached and went on her knees next to him, she reached out and he caught her hand softly. He opened his eyes and whispered, "Whatever happens here, we'll still love each other, and we'll still have each other."

Brooke nodded she kissed her fiancé's cheek before she pulled on his arm as she stood. Ben stood, his body seemed heavy though and Brooke wrapped her arms around his neck, she kissed his softly and he completed the kiss, his arms winding around her hips and pulling her close to him.

Slowly they sank onto the blankets, their lips locked and their voices silent. They could hear the sound of a new riot starting, and Ben stopped, his blue eyes framing the darkness below Brooke. She stopped and even with her heavy breathing she could hear the shouts that demanded something the public couldn't and never would have. At least they weren't screaming for her to come out to die anymore.

Ben frowned and then Brooke pulled the blankets over them. She whispered softly in his ear, "Don't listen Ben, just forget, its okay. Let go of your duties for a few hours and just be with me, it will all probably still be there when we finish."

Ben sighed and Brooke kissed his cheek softly, she could feel the soft stubble there, he hadn't shaved recently and she smiled when she realized it. He pulled her lips to his then, his fingers wrapping and knotting in her hair as he tried to hold her tighter to him. His other hand pressed hard into her back, trying to get a grip on her belt that she was still wearing. Ben found the grip he was looking for and very gently he undid the belt, and roll so she was under him. He pulled her belt off and in the semi-darkness under the blanket he put the blaster's safety on and let the belt slip out from under the blankets and onto the floor.

Brooke undid the front of his tunic slowly, she could feel the strong, hard muscles under her finger tips, and even now after doing this so many times already, she was surprised at how strong and muscular her fiancé was. HE smiled and kissed the side of her temple, his lips traced her hair line and he kissed her ear, then the area at the base of her skull. She sighed and he slipped his fingers into her jacket. Brooke caught his hands and whispered, "Hold that thought Skywalker."  
Ben paused, his lips furrowing on her jaw, but he paused none the less. She listened quietly and then she heard it, silence.

Ben listened too, his eyes opened and she heard him whispering something to himself. Brooke put her finger to his lip and then whispered, "never mind, I shouldn't have stopped us, Ben, I'm sorry."

HE rolled off of her and onto the other side of him, so he was facing the wall and he remained silent. Brooke curled herself up and laid her head on his shoulder blade. She kissed the base of his skull and whispered, "I love you Ben. I love you more than anything."

Ben didn't respond and Brooke rolled the other way and looked at the mirror on the vanity. She could see herself and Ben in the mirror. She could see how his face was reflecting off the wall dully; she could see the way he was looking at it. She rolled over and grabbed his arm. He didn't respond to the touch like he should have. Brooke panicked, she grabbed his shoulder and shook it, he shrugged her off and she grabbed him and rolled him over. His blue eyes looked up at her dully, she blinked and tears rolled down. He sighed and whispered, "Maybe Rian's right, maybe the best thing to show my love for you is to let him have you. He'll keep you safer than I ever will."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and spit, "Don't you dare say that Ben Skywalker, I love you and I refuse to lose you after it took me five years to win you from Vestara."

Ben looked at her and said, "exactly, Vestara will hunt you down, any children we have she'll kill if she finds them."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Ben, you're scaring me with what you're saying, don't leave me Ben, please don't."

Ben sighed and slowly took her hands in his own, and then he softly kissed her. She leaned down and very gently she whispered, "Everything will be okay, we have each other Ben."

(/)

The next morning Brooke left early in the morning and Ben left almost the same time as her. The people seemed to have cooled down, and Brooke seemed to be the least of their interests. She opened the door into the office and everyone looked at her, she nodded to everyone as she passed, they all looked at her funny, as if it was a shock she was even here. A GAG member stopped her and she showed him her card, he took it in his black gloved hand and swiped it through a datapad. He handed it back and moved aside, she stepped through into the turbolift and pushed the button she always did. The elevator dropped just as it always did. She relaxed on her way down, she need to put on a straight face for what she was about to do.

The doors opened in the turbolift lobby, there were GAG commanders there. Someone was talking quickly, their voice rising in panic. Brooke ran and saw them trying to drag Hesa out of the command room. The Fallen was dragging her feet at all costs. Brooke panicked and grabbed Hesa's arm, the Fallen sobbed and cried, "Thank space, of Brooke's here, she'll figure this out."

Brooke swallowed and hissed, "Who gave the order to take one of my crew and discharge them of duty, a duty they have rightfully earned?"

The GAG guards swallowed and the female said, "The Fallen was found of treason, and word is that you have been too."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and pulled Hesa with her back into the command room, the rest of her crew was sitting there at their desks, their faces pale and fearful. Only the Yola seemed calm and collected. Good, Brooke decided she needed that right now. Hesa was sobbed and she whispered softly, "Thank you, oh thank you."

Brooke let her back into the room and she flipped around on the GAG commanders, her voice when she spoke was cold and collected, but harsh all the same.

"Who gave you that order, answer me soldier I at least have a right to know that!"

The soldier swallowed and said, "the Chief of State."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and spit in fury, "Is he in office today then?"

There were a parallel set of nods and Brooke turned to her crew and gave a simple order, one Yola straightened up to and followed immediately.

"Shut down all the data bases, when I leave, you all lock the doors and the turbolifts with the password I gave you all, you will not let anyone down here unless they give that password, do I make myself clear?"

There were nodded and Yola looked up.

"I've closed off everything commander."

Brooke nodded and turned on her heel; she grabbed the GAG officers and pulled them with her into the turbolift. She stopped on the lobby floor and dropped them off, then went up to the chief of state's office.

The door's opened and she saw a sweet little woman standing there. The woman blinked at her and whispered, "have you changed you mind?"

Brooke laughed, and walked past her, really was that all that everyone cared about? That she had said no to Rian and had embarrassed him in front of the entire GA? Well Rian had another thing coming that was for sure, if he thought that screwing her day was going to get her to stop loving Ben.

She practically kicked open the door to his office, a few Senators watched her storm across the carpet and across to the back of his desk where she stuck her face in his and spit, "you lying, screwed little sleemo! You have no jurisdiction on my level, you have none! How dare you try to arrest on of my best crew members and try to tell me that it's because she committed treason!"

Rian blinked and then sighed softly; he smiled at the Senators and said, "if you could excuse us for one moment."

They nodded and left quickly, Rian stopped smiling the moment they were gone, he stood and Brooke stumble back and he seemed to tower over her, forcing her to sit on top of the polished desk. Brooke sat and he smiled, he put his hands on either side of her and leaned close to her. Brooke leaned back but Rian leaned closer, his eyes watching hers intently. Brooke swallowed and he smiled.

"It's very rude to intrude like that."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and Rian let his hand move to her hip, she grabbed his wanding mind and hand. Rian smiled and continued, "I'm sure you'd be very upset if I interrupted you and your fiancé when you two were in the middle of something that was very important to you."

His other hand moved and Brooke caught it, but her hands were what were keeping her sitting up, so she fell onto the desk and Rian leaned over her and kissed her. Brooke felt her eyes widen in fury, and she threw him off of her. HE gripped her hips in his hands through; he held her down and kissed her harder. She panicked and kicked him full on as hard as she could in the groin. Rian gasped in pain and Brooke rolled off the table and onto the other side of desk. She crashed to the floor and she sobbed in humiliation. She wiped desperately at her lips, and then she felt Rian grab her and pull her tightly to him. Brooke wailed in agony and the door opened, the Senator screamed in shock and Rian, smiled, he let go of Brooke and said, "Poor thing, couldn't stay away."

Brooke collapsed to her hands and knees, and sobbed, her shoulders and body on fire with humiliation and fury at having her body explored by someone other than Ben.

She stepped past the Senators who watched her in awe as she stormed by them, her eyes wild with humiliation and agony. She punched the turbolift button and took it down to her level. There she stepped past all her crew and stormed into her office, she slammed the door closed and closed the blinds. Then she slid down into her chair and sobbed.


	6. Chapter 6

There was a knock on the door and Brooke looked up, her eyes slightly red and puffy with crying. She wiped her eyes quickly and said, "I can't talk right now, I need to be alone."

"Depends on why you need to be alone."

Ben sounded worried, he must have sensed her horror and anger, and then all the other emotions she didn't even know existed inside her until two hours ago. She opened the door quickly and Ben slipped in, he pulled her into his arms the moment her was inside. She sighed and they slid to their knees, his arms holding her tightly to him. They sat quietly in each other's arms and when he whispered her name quietly, she didn't respond.

Ben sighed and sometime later Brooke whispered, "Let's get married tonight, I don't care where we do it, we can go to some dive bar in the under city and get married there, as long as I'm finally married to you."

Ben frowned and looked down at her carefully.

"Why would you want that?"  
Brooke narrowed her eyes and said, "Because I'm sick of Rian, and his dirty little hands and mind."

Ben blinked and said softly, "what did her do to you my love?"

Brooke looked up at him, her eyes soft and her voice was just as soft, "Nothing I can't handle myself, the last thing we need is for you to get arrested because you went after the chief of state."

Ben narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Brooke, what did he do to you."

"Like I said before, it doesn't matter, I'll take care of it."

Ben fidgeted and said, "Brooke, why don't you just take the rest of the day off and come back to the apartment with me."

Brooke looked up at him and whispered, "you didn't just come here because you felt that I was distressed."

Ben shifted and said, "I had a Force vision about you."

Brooke looked up and whispered to Ben, "what was it about?"

He sighs and very slowly he took Brooke back into his arms and held her to his chest, his breathing was deep and warm. Brooke breathed in Ben's musty sweet scent that he carried around with him.

"It was something that I can't talk about yet, it's too vague for me to completely understand what's might happen."

Brooke sighed and then said, " I need to stay here, I'll be home at nine tonight, I'll have to work a little longer than normal."

Ben nodded and then slowly helped Brooke up to her feet, she smiled and he kissed her lightly. When they broke away Ben slipped out and Yola nodded to him politely on the cat walk. Ben inclined his head politely and then continued along. Brooke leaned against her desk and Yola knocked against the door frame and said, "Commander, can I speak with you?"

Brooke looked up and nodded. Hesa stepped into the room and held out the datapad for Brooke to see. Brooke took it and then flipped the cover off and flipped through to the highlighted file Hesa wanted her to see. She opened the file and skimmed the first paragraph that she was to read. The paragraph touched on simple disturbances in finances and military spending that seemed to go to undercover corporations. She frowned and began to compare the spending to other database recordings. Yola stood at the door with her hands folded tightly in front of her.

"I was just browsing when I saw this." She commented softly. Brooke handed Yola the datapad and responded, "Compare this to weapon sale, I also want to check the weapons that were recorded at the Chief of States inauguration, and compare those total prices to this."

Yola blinked and then raised a brow and commented, "Why? Commander, is something wrong?"

Brooke sighed and said, "If we don't figure this out, then yes, we will have a problem."

(/)

Brooke opened the door and closed it behind her. There were whispers in the living room. She stepped into the room and Ben looked up, Rian smiled at Brooke and said, "Well, someone's home late."

Brooke blinked and then narrowed her eyes, her hand going to the blaster on her hip. Rian smiled and leaned back, his eyes scanning his hand then her arm, Brooke dropped her hand and said, "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop in and congratulate you and your fiancé."

Ben looked at Brooke, his eyes were narrowed and Brooke could almost feel the fury radiating off of him, part of it was directed at her. She frowned and then sat down next to Ben. His hand didn't go to hers like it used to. She fidgeted and said, "Well, you've said your congratulations by now, how about you leave? Ben and I have things we need to discuss."

Rian laughed and stood, his eyes winked with a horrible malevolence. "I'll be waiting for the invitation."

HE lifted his finger to his forehead in a mock salute, and then he left. When he had left Brooke turned to Ben and said, "What?"

Ben looked at her and said, "You know what, I heard what happened in his office today."

Brooke stood, her humiliation burning her face. Ben narrowed his eyes and Brooke whispered, "Ben, what you heard was Rian's idea of what happened, will you at least give me a chance to explain it from my point of view?"

Ben sighed and stood his brown robes trialed on the floor.  
"I'll hear you side of it when I think I can trust you again, for now, we might have to just be apart-"  
"No, don't you dare throw that card out there. Ben we're engaged to be married, we're getting married any time in the next few months! And you want to call off the whole thing because of some stupid _lie_ Rian told?"

Ben sighed and sat back down, his fingers laced together and he said, "Go ahead then, tell me the truth, or the truth as you perceive it."  
Brooke swallowed and said, "I went to his office to demand an answer to why he was trying to arrest Hesa. He… cleared the room of any witnesses, and then pinned me to the table. I rolled the other way and he grabbed me from behind, I panicked and someone came and saw him holding me."

Ben sat back, his eyes closed, his mind deeply imbedded in the Force, checking for any discrepancies in Brookes story. He sighed and came back; he looked at his fingers which were laced together in front of him. Brooke moved towards him and sat down next to him, her hand winded into one of his and Ben squeezed it gently.

"You'll stay right? You're not going to leave, Ben please tell me you won't leave." Brooke whispered, her hand gripping his tightly. Ben leaned his forehead against her temple and answered, "I won't leave, not now, not ever."


	7. Chapter 7

The speeder traffic was moving just as steadily as it would at any point in the day, even though it was almost midnight. Ben lay looking at the ceiling; Brooke was curled up against the side of his body, her warmth pushing against him, creating almost a calming embrace even in sleep. He closed his eyes but one thought kept biting him in the back of his mind, what was the truth of the whole thing. Did Brooke really do what Rian had claimed, or had Brooke done as she had told him? The Force had offered no insight into the whole thing and Ben felt a slight irritation at that fact. Brooke stirred and whispered his name in her sleep. He looked down at her and then sighed.

He got up slowly as to not disturb her and then dressed quickly. He paused at the door and looked back, Brooke was curled up with her fingers knotted in her hair. She looked beautiful and the thought that she would sleep next to no one but him, closed up his throat for a moment. He loved her, more than he loved anything before. He thought the love he had had for Vestara was all he could give, but there was so much more that he could give.

The night air felt cool against his cheeks and he knew that if Brooke woke up and he wasn't there, that she would panic and there was no telling what she would do. She'd fought Vestara for every second she could get in his mind, she had leaped in front of a Sith _shikkar_ to save him, she had almost died in his arms whispering his name.

He shook his head and moved numbly, the Force would guide him to the source of his problems and then to the answer to everything that kept him awake at night. The night traffic offered him little promise and his steps carried him casually closer to the Senete building. He stopped outside of the Senate building and whispered, "What do I have to do here?"

Someone came out and Ben recognized Hesa, she stopped and then said, "Good evening Master Skywalker."

Ben blinked in shock, he had been staring at the ground trying to make sense of everything and had barely heard Hesa's greeting. He snapped his head up and said, "Good evening Hesa."

The Fallen smiled and said, "Brooke got home in one piece right?"

Ben blinked and then nodded, Hesa sighed in relief and said, "Good, poor thing, having to deal with all this, it's too much on a woman to have an old flame show up and try to start something when she's involved elsewhere."

"She was assalted by him then?" Ben responded carefully, his tone casual and his eyes not leaving Hesa's face. The Fallen seemed taken aback and then she seemed to stand taller as she answered him in an almost scolding tone, "I would hope you would believe her answer, as she is your fiancé and she would do the same for you."

Ben blinked and then nodded, "Of course I believe her, why wouldn't I?"

Hesa sighed and then began to walk to her speeder, his jacket draped over her arm. "Good I'm glad that's how it will be, good night Master Skywalker."

"Good night Hesa." Ben responded softly. He stepped towards the door and opened them slowly. He stepping in and stopped, how many others had stood like this, wanting something but not entirely sure what it was?

The attendant on duty nodded to him and he said, "I was hoping to speak with the Chief of State."

The attendant nodded and placed the order, she looked up and said, "He's with someone right now, but you can always wait to see him."

Ben nodded and walked towards the turbolift. He checked his chomlink, there was one message on it, and it was from Brooke.

Ben swallowed and opened the message, Brooke sounded slightly worried and scared, her voice was almost a whisper.

"Ben, where ever you are, you need to know that I would never do anything to hurt you, never. And I know that you're probably hurt by whatever Rian told you, but you have to understand Ben that I don't love him anymore. My heart belongs only to you. Where ever you are, please Ben, please don't leave me. I love you."

She had ended the message before she had lost complete control. Ben swallowed, she was awake then and she had noticed his absence. The door opened and Ben stepped across the hall, suddenly, he felt his danger sense prickling. A shiver ran down his neck and spine. A feeling that made the hairs stand up on his neck. He paused and clicked his lightsaber off his belt; he kept it at his side as he advanced to the Chief of State's chambers.

He paused and expanded in the force, and he instantly recoiled in horror. There were five presences in side that he hoped were all but eradicated. Five Keshirian Sith were inside the room with Rian. He opened the door and stopped. Rian was sitting with them, talking; he stood in the door way feeling extremely brash then. He should have waited for them to come out so he could confront them. Rian blinked and said, "Master Skywalker… it's it a little late for late night calls?"

Ben narrowed his eyes and says, "I came to speak to you about something."

The Sith were eyeing him, then one of the whispered to the other, Ben caught two words, Skywalker and dead.

He looked closely at Rian and said, "I hate to be rude and interrupt, but you and I have a few things we need to discuss right now."

Rian blinked and sat back in his chair, he laced his fingers together and said, "My company has traveled quite a ways to speak to me. They will be leaving soon; I hope to have a few more minutes with them."

Ben knew then, he knew that Rian knew these were Sith, Rian knew who he was dealing with, and he was making a deal with them about something. One of the Sith blinked, she was a young woman, maybe Vestara's age with long silky black hair. She smiled at Rian and said, "No matter, we can always stay one more night, no trouble. We can finish this in the morning."

Rian nodded and Ben stepped out of the way as the Sith rose and departed one of them stopped and looked him in the eye, those black eyes gleamed with hatred and mocking laughter. Ben narrowed his eyes and the man continued on. Rian sat back down and said, 'what can I do for you at one in the morning?"

Ben looked at him and responded coldly as he sat down. "Two things, one, you can stay away from Brooke. You leave her out of this, she has had enough pain in her life already without you running around causing her more. Second, you can tell me why you were just willing talking to Sith."

Rian blinked and said carefully, "My, two interesting demands. The first one, I've already done my part in, as I said earlier, she threw herself on me. And the second demand you have, I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Sith, here on Corsaunt? Master Skywalk it might be time to get your Force checked out."

Ben swallowed his fury and said, "Rian, you lie to get what you want and I understand. But hear me out on this, if you so much as touch Brooke the wrong way and I hear about it, you're going to feel pain like never before. And second, the Sith who you were just talking to will play you. They will burn you and they will kill you when you're time us up with them."

Rian swallowed and then said, "Are you threatening me Master Skywalker?"

"You don't sound so sure of that question." Ben whispered. Rian swallowed and lean forward, "You are the stupidest Jedi I've ever known."

Ben smiled as he stood, then very softly said, "I will be reporting what I have learned and seen to the Jedi, and if you're not careful Rian, you're going to have a lot of stupid people, and Jedi chasing you."

Rian narrowed his eyes and said, "Then if your business is done here, get out."

Ben nodded and bowed deeply. "As you wish, Chief of State."

Ben turned and stopped at the door before he exited. "And Rian, try to not get killed with the Sith. The public doesn't need another Chief of State death."

Rian opened his mouth to answer and Ben stepped out, closing the door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

. Ben opened the door to the room and closed it as quietly as he could behind him. He heard the light click on in the room. He swallowed and the door opened, Brooke stood with her hand gripping her jacket around her shoulders, her blaster in hand. She put it down, and then said, "Ben... I thought you'd left."  
Ben closed the door behind him and then said, "Well, I'm home."  
Brooke blinked and then said, "I can see that."  
Ben moved towards her and said softly, "don't be like this... I never planned on leaving forever."  
Brooke sighed and Ben pulled her into his arms, he sank with her to his knees. He tucked her in his arms and she buried her face in his robes. He held her tightly to him and kissed her face, neck and hair like it was the last time he would ever see her.  
He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, he laid her on the bed and she whispered, "now you've made me very despite."  
Ben smiled and slowly slipped the jacket off her shoulders and said, "right now, I'm willing to oblige."  
Brooke smiled and they let their love explode out around them.

Two months passed and slowly plans for the wedding came forth. Brooke sat on the couch and flipped through the book that had been set before her.  
"I don't really want to have any of this. Since when is your aunt in charge of our wedding?" Brooke questioned as she looked up at Ben. Ben frowned from his position on the floor; he had his legs crossed and his eyes closed.  
"Since last week, and besides she really wants to help." Ben responded, he didn't move or even open his eyes when he continued, "Brooke my love, there's something we need to talk about."  
Brooke looked up and set the book down, she sat back and crossed her arms her eyes on her fiancé.  
Ben sighed and then said, "The Sith are on Corasaunt. And I wouldn't put it passed them to spoil everything."  
Brooke blinked and then said, "As in spoil out wedding?"  
Ben nodded and then opened his eyes. "And not just our wedding but possibly everything we've build since Abeloth."  
Brooke fidgeted and said, "We'd know if they were here. I would know."  
Ben frowned and the sun seemed the make his hair turn to flame, he ran his fingers through the tasseled mess and said, "Interesting then that you didn't know until I told you."  
"How did they even get on Corsaunt?" Brooke mumbled as she leaned back, her legs crossed one over the other. Ben shrugged and closed his eyes once more; he slipped into his meditation once more, Brooke narrowed her eyes, refusing to drop the subject.  
" Ben, how did you know they were here? No one else does."

Ben opened his eyes once more and replied softly, "Brooke my love, I can't tell you that, because if I do, I feel like it might start another civil war, one that no one is ready to fight."

Brooke stood up, her fury plain on her face. "Normally I would respect you word, but Ben, these are Sith we're talking about and innocent people that might get hurt or killed."

"And you're going to be the one to save them all?" Ben questioned softly. Brooke flared up and Ben sighed softly before continuing, "Don't go and take it as if I'm the bad guy. All I'm trying to do is keep up out of this for as long as possible."

'And risk innocent lives? Ben our lives are all about saving others. Right now we're doing the opposite." Brooke crossed her arms and glared at Ben. Ben sighed and ran his fingers through his hair and responded calmly, "Brooke, right now, I have no idea where the Sith are. And I don't want to lead a Jedi strike team to investigate and stir up trouble with the public."

Brooke swallowed and slowly lowered her arms then sat next to ben, she wrapped her arms around his arm and whispered, "I'm so used to getting things done, people doing the things that need to get done when they need to get done, and right now it's excruciating to think that no one can do anything."

Ben laid his cheek on her hair and whispered, "believe me, I know."

(/)

Ben watched the small training session with mixed enthusiasm, for one, he was pleased that everything was continuing one as planned, but on the other hand he could feel that building worry and darkness in the Force, the balance tipping quickly back to darkness. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, it was a very teenagerish pose, but he still liked to stand in it, it was comfortable and he needed all the comfort he could get at the moment.

Jaina came up behind him and stood next to him, her brown hair was pulled in a loose braid that had small strands of hair hanging out around her face, her robes were soft shades of brown and tan and she seemed to prefer those more lately. Ben smiled at her and she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You're doing fantastic Ben, I'm sure he's very proud of how well you are handling everything." She whispered. Ben smiled at her and said, "I guess, I can only hope I'm doing everything right."

Jaina rolled her eyes and swept her hand across the room taking in every person in the room. "You, and everyone else in this Order."

Ben smiled and someone ran by them out of the room, they stopped and the young padwan turned around and bowed quickly to them and then turned and ran off. Jaian smiled and said, "I can't wait to have maybe one of my own."

"A padwan? I could give you one if you think you're ready." Ben answered, his brows knitting together in confusion. Jaina laughed and replied softly, "No, more like a family. Jag and I just have to find the time."

Another padwan ran by and was followed quickly by the others. A knight weaved his way through them, his face white as snow and his eyes wide in fear. Ben stood up and Jaina watched the Knight approach warily.

The knight reached them and Corran made his way over along with Kyp. The knight collected breath and then whispered as to not be over heard, "Master Skywalker, someone is here, they insist to speak to you and you only."

Kyp snorted and replied, "who is it?"

The knight shook his head and said, "I don't know, I've never seen her before."

Ben frowned and began to walk down the hall, Jaina trailed after him quickly with Kyp and Corran following him. He stopped though and turned to look at them.

"They only wish to speak to me, collect the Masters though, I have a bad feeling about this."

Kyp smiled and said, "When Skywalker's have bad feelings that usually means that either someone's dying or there's a war coming."

Ben rolled his eyes and turned quickly on his heel and began a brisk walk to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was empty of everyone but one. She stood facing him, the tiny scar on the corner of her mouth was pulled tightly. Ben didn't even falter as her continued to reach her. Her brown hair had been cut short and her face was leaner, stronger, all around older. Ben stopped and nodded to her, she took a deep breath and said, "So, where is this lucky woman?"

Ben smiled and answered softly, 'Not here, she's off somewhere though."

Vestara narrowed her eyes and said, "You are playing games with me. You forget how well I know you."

Ben felt the smile fall off his face, he sighed and then said, "Yes, you do know me well, but that time has passed and the present is all I care about."

"You liar, you still love me." Vestara teased playfully, Ben narrowed his eyes preaping a gibe of his own, but none was forthcoming. They stood in silence and then Vestara sighed and said, "From the excitement around here and the rumors that I've been hearing, you're getting married soon, yes?"

"As a matter of fact we're getting married in less than two months."

Vestara narrowed her eyes and the doors into the great Hall opened behind her. Ben looked over her shoulder and watched Brooke advance towards them. Vestara looked over her should at Brooke who stopped for a moment and then continued. She passed Vestara and then stopped next to Ben, Vestara smiled at her and said, "Medical treatment has done you well."

"Torture has done me well." Brooke replied curtly before turning to Ben and saying, "We need to talk," She looked at Vestara and then continued, "As soon as you can."

Ben nodded and squeezed her arm softly, "Of course, give me a few minutes."

Brooke nodded and then walked past Ben towards the turbolifts, Ben turned back to Vestara and whispered, "Stay away from her."

Vestara smiled and then whispered, "You mistake me for a fool. I know a man who's desperately in love when I see one."

Ben frowned and then Vestara's smile widened when she saw Jaina coming their way, Kyp and Corran continued to follow her and they all stopped ten feet away to letBen finish what he was talking about. Vestara bowed her head respectfully and whispered, "Congratulations Master Solo, I heard about your promotion."

"Keep you false hearted comments to yourself; no one needs to hear them." Kyp growled. Vestara narrowed her eyes and then looked at Ben.  
"Right, I believe I forgot to tell you why I'm actually here."

Ben narrowed his eyes and laid his hand on his lightsaber, Vestara smiled and said, "I believe you and I have a bit of a connection still, I can see it in your eyes. Don't be a fool Ben; be smart, you know where you're going to get the most out of a relationship."

Ben smiled and replied coyly, "Not with you."

Vestara narrowed her eyes and whispered, "We were meant to be, and you know it. We were chosen for a power greater than any other. I need you to come with me, we can finish Abeloth off once and for all if you just come with me."

Ben narrowed his eyes and spit, "and become like her? I'd lose everything I've fought so hard for. I promised my father Vestara that I would protect the Order in his absence. And becoming like Abeloth will do this Order no good, nor will it protect my fiancé."

Vestara sneered, turning her beautiful features ugly. "Don't lie to yourself Ben. You may sleep next to her, and you may have a ring on her hand, but you will never love her like you love me."

Jaina stepped in quickly and said, "Get out of here Vestara, you don't have any right to be here, or to say those things."

Vestara smiled and whispered softly, "Then I'll just have to voice my opinions when the time is right."

She turned on her heel, her black robes spilling out behind her, and began a brisk walk to the doors. She turned around at the last second though and said, "Be careful Ben, you should know that I always get the last laugh." She smiled wickedly, but Ben didn't know whether it was an illusion caused by her scar, or if she was truly smiling. She turned and closed the doors behind her, leaving Ben worried for Brooke's safely.

Brooke was sitting in one of the chair's facing the viewport that showed the noon activity on Corasaunt. She smiled at ben when he joined her, he sat in the chair next to her and took her hand in his.

"You're going to have to talk quickly, I just called a meeting with the Masters."

Brooke nodded and whispered, "You're right, I traced the gun sales, Ben, the people are buying them from an underground vendor, and I sent a group to check out the place and they came back saying they heard some words being thrown around a little too casually."

Ben sighed and said, "well, it's apparent that you and I both have problems." Brooke softly kissed his cheek and whispered, "We'll push through, you and I always do."

Ben nodded and then replied softly, "Be careful, always be somewhere where someone can see you or hear you. I don't need Vestara grabbing you and running."

Brooke smiled and leaned her head on Ben's shoulder and whispered, "You forget that she tortured me before. Whatever she has in store for me I can handle."

Ben snorted and replied, "Yes, but you also almost died from the torture."

Brooke looked up at him and she whispered, "I don't need to be protected. Ben, you and I both know that I can take care of myself. The last thing I need is for you to be following me around trying to protect me from the galaxy."

Ben smiled and said, "That sounded an awful lot like my mother."

Brooke smiled and winked mischievously. Ben pulled her closer to him and whispered, "Which is exactly why I can't lose you."

Brooke sighed and they sat in silence for a few moments before Ben whispered, "Alright, I have to go, I can't guarantee that I'll be back before you're sleeping."

Brooke stood and Ben stood with her, for a moment he was terrified for her, there was so much he couldn't protect her from, he couldn't be there every single second, he needed to give her space, but there was a lot that could happen in a little space.

"Then you can let yourself in." Brooke teased as she walked towards the door, Ben watched her back for moment and then sighed and said, "If you leave the door unlocked this time."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled before opening the door and leaving. Ben sighed and sat back down, there was too much going on, maybe this was the Sith's big plan, overwhelm and then kill when he wasn't prepared. To tell the truth, he felt like he might die from the stress at any given moment.

The Master's were waiting patiently outside the chamber when he arrived, Jaina nodded and waited to enter with him. Her brown eyes were sparked with curiosity and worry. Ben shook his head, silently saying that they would talk about it later. Jaina nodded and walked in ahead of him, she took her seat next to him and Ben sat down. He felt slightly sick at the moment and wondered if the other Master's could see how sick he felt. For a moment he collected himself and then said, "I'm sure many of you know, but for those who don't know, the Sith are on Corasaunt, they are planning something, and they will strike us if we are not prepared."

Kyp smiled and said, "Exactly what every single one of us knows."

Ben smiled, at least Kyp had the sense to joke, the other Master's nodded their heads and Corran leaned forward and said, "the real question then is, what are we going to do about it."

Kyp snorted and said, "They already fell for the Corasaunt free for all, so we can't pull that one again."

Corran narrowed his eyes at Kyp and said, "Let's not close off all of our options to quickly."

Saba shifted and said, "This one thinks they will be out for blood."

Ben nodded and said, "we already know who Vestara's after, the question is who else is she possibly targeting, and how many of them are there?"

The room grew silent and Corran closed his eyes and nodded. Jaina stayed strangely quiet, and stared off at the wall. The silence began to eat them away until Jaina whispered, "Who let them on? Isn't the Chief of State working to keep intruders off Corasaunt?"

Ben sighed, and contemplated telling what he had seen only two months ago. Jaina looked at him and said, "You know something Ben."

Ben closed his eyes and when he opened them the rest of the Council was waiting for him to say what he knew.

"I went to speak to the Chief of State about two months ago, when I arrived and went in to speak to him, he was speak very calmly with at least three Sith, all of which were very comfortable and our chief of State very well knew who they were and why they were there."

Saba hissed and Kyp cursed, Corran opened his eyes and narrowed them again. There were other ideas passed around the chamber and Ben closed his eyes again, how had he missed all of this? The Sith infiltrating, for all he knew, they were worming their way into the government, where innocent lives were, and where Brooke was.

Jaina watched him and when he hadn't spoke she whispered, "What should we do Ben?"

The room grew quiet and Ben opened his eyes, all eyes were on him again, and in that one moment he truly didn't know what to do. If they exposed the Sith it would just open a box that wasn't ready to be opened, but if they let it continue they were opening the government up to dangers.

He nodded and said, "I'm going to call for a vote, those in favor of exposing this whole thing and going after them raise your hand."

A few of the Master's paused and thought about their decision and then one by one, Kyp, Saba and Jaina raised their hands. Ben sighed and said, "Then if the rest of the Council wishes to keep this quiet until we can truly come to a clear conclusion of what we should do, the matter is closed."

The rest of the council nodded and Ben relaxed for the first time all week and said, "Then for now we close this topic and this meeting, there is to be no discussion of this except in closed quarters with other members of this Council. We don't need younglings getting ideas."

There were nods and Ben dismissed them, he stayed sitting and massaged his eyes with the palms of his hands until Corran came up to him and said, "You're doing just fine Ben. No one's questioning that."

Ben looked up and said, "I feel like I'm missing things though, simple little decisions that would make this whole thing easier."

"You're young Ben, your father had years of this before he had to make the big decisions, unfortunately for you, you got only a few months, but just as Luke had, you have all of us to help you."

Ben nodded and stood, Corran walked along next to him and said, "And besides, in about two months you're not going to be the only Skywalker on Corasuant."

Ben smiled and Corran said, "You have no idea how excited everyone is in here for this wedding."

Ben nodded and replied, "no one has any idea how excited I am."

Corran smiled and laughed, then said, "Oh, I have an idea, Jaina has an idea, all those who've gone through what you're about to go through know what you're feeling."

"not all of them have to be Grand Master."

Corran laughed and said, "You never cease to remind me of your mother."

Ben smiled and corran broke away and began to follow Kyle into one of the training rooms. Ben watched them for a moment and sighed; when no one was around he could slip back into his own thoughts. Someone came up behind him and he flipped around, Tahari laughed and said, "Since when can I sneak up on you?"

Ben rolled his eyes at her teasing words and said, "since don't have time to play games."

Tahari opened her eyes wide and said, "Oh, so now you're all powerful and high?"

Ben rolled his eyes and started walking again, Tahari blinked and then jogged to catch him. She walked along next to him and said, "So, I heard you're engaged to a certain blond beauty."

Ben stopped and said, "are you just here to question my personal life?"

"Naturally." Tahari teased before Ben continued walking, she ran to keep up again and said, "Where you off to now Grand Master?"

Ben gave her a sideways look and said, "I'm probably going to check on a few things and then go home."

Tahari smiled and said, "well, I have nothing better to do, maybe I'll just tag along. I haven't seen Brooke since my court case."

Ben looked at her and said, "Why was she at your court case?"

Tahari shrugged and said, "she was there as a friend, with all the anti-Jedi stuff getting thrown around she wanted to be there just in case someone tried to hurt me so she could pummel them."

Ben smiled and said, "that sounds like her."

Tahari smiled at him and said, "Since when are you two in love anyway? Last I checked you didn't even remember her name and she hated you."

Ben rolled his eyes and said, "Circumstances… have a funny way of working out."

Tahari shook her head and said, "No there's something else, someone said they saw you talking with Vestara and when Brooke showed up it looked like Vestara and her were hiding bombs under their tunics to throw at one another."

Ben frowned at how the situation must have looked from the outside. "Yes, it definitely was a shock for Brooke to show up then and there. But the situation was handled."

"Really, because someone else said they saw Vestara hanging around the GAG compound."

Ben snorted and said, "Just goes to show how little she knows about out government."

"But why was she hanging out over there?"

Ben sighed and said, "Tahari, right now I have more than enough problems. I'm getting married in two months, my ex-girlfriend has shown up and threatened my fiancé, the Sith are back on Corasaunt and I have no idea what I'm doing."

Tahari blinked and said, "and I just made you day ten times worse?"

"Nothing can ruin this day, unless I go back to the apartments and find Brooke dead." Ben growled, his eyes narrowing, to tell the truth he should leave as soon as possible to avoid that ugly picture in his head. Tahari frowned and said, "Well, how about I help out a little, I'll go over to your place and keep an eye out for her, and if Vestara makes a move I can jump her and drag her here for you to beat yourself."

Ben smiled and said, "I don't need you to do anything, but the watching would help. Although I can't help but feel that Brooke won't like it."

"I'll say it was my idea and I didn't tell you about it, and I'll even go inside with her and hang around, we haven't talked in years, and I've got a shuttle load of stuff to tell her." Tahari's eyes sparkled with mischief and loyalty. Ben smiled and said, "If you could do that, then I'm in debt to you."

"Are you kidding, I would still be a raging lunatic bent on killing every person in this Order if you hadn't knocked some sense into me, it's the least I can do to pay you back." Tahari answered before she turned and started a brisk walk towards the Great Hall. Ben sighed, at least that was not a problem anymore, he could actually focus on the Order now.


	9. Chapter 9

Brooke sat calmly on the chair and Tahari sat across from her, Brooke smiled and nodded, but kept stealing glances at her chromometer, when had Ben said he'd be home? Tahari noticed one of her glances and said, "So, you got a hot date or something?"

Brooke looked up and laughed, before replying, "I don't have many guys who would want to go on a date with me."

She stood and took her caf cup over to the sink where she dumped the cold contents down the sink and then washed out her cup. Tahari watched her and then said, "well, you have Ben Skywalker eating out of the palm of your hand, that should count for something."

Brooke smiled and Tahari said, "don't think I didn't see his shirt on the bed spread. Were you two busy this morning?"

Brooke rolled her eyes and crossed her arms while she leaned against the counter, and replied softly, "maybe we were busy, it wouldn't surprise me though, Ben is very sloppy and leaves almost everything everywhere."

Tahari smiled and pointed the cup at Brooke. "Oh yes, and his shirt just happened to be the only item of clothing on the bed."

Brooke smiled mischievously and said, "Well, how much has Ben told you about our best nights?"

Tahari smiled and leaned back before responding, "Who says Ben told me anything? You just told me everything."

Brooke laughed shook her head, the door opened and Ben arrived in the door way. His robes moved smoothly around his legs and he paused in the door way. Brooke smiled and Tahari smiled mischievously and said, "Well speak of the devil and he will appear."

Ben snorted in amusement and then said, "Depends on what you were talking about."

Tahari smiled and then stood slowly, she handed Brooke the cup and said, "Thanks for the caf, I think I'm going to take off."

Brooke smiled and Ben moved towards Brooke, she took his hand and whispered, "Hello, I thought you were going to be here later."

Ben smiled and kissed her temple softly, Brooke smiled and Tahari quickly edged out of the room, she winked and then left quickly. As soon as she was gone, Ben slipped behind Brooke, and kissed her neck. Brooke smiled and leaned against Ben's chest, her hand wound around Ben's and she whispered, "Tahari might be onto us."

Ben smiled, his lips kissing her skin softly, before he responded, "And that is important to us because?"

Brooke smiled and looked up at Ben's face, he kissed her forehead softly, then his lips moved slowly along her skin back down to her neck. Brooke grabbed his wrist and whispered, "Don't do what I think you're doing."

Ben smiled wickedly and whispered, "I'm not thinking at all."

Brooke smiled and ran her finger tips down Ben's wrist and intertwined her fingers with his. Ben smiled and whispered, "What are you thinking about?"

Brooke smiled and whispered, "Nothing special, only everything I know about you."

Ben smiled and whispered softly in her ear, "What is everything you know about me?"

Brooke smiled and then closed her eyes. Ben kissed her neck and then her shoulder, his hands moved to her hips and he pulled her closer to him.

(/)

Ben rolled over and felt Brooke's hand press against his shoulder blade, Ben sighed and said, "What?"

Brooke whispered in his ear and Ben could fell her hair brushing up against his neck and her sweet breath kissed the skin on his cheek softly. She laid her cheek against his and whispered, "Want to get married right now?"

Ben smiled and whispered, "maybe, if you'll wear the dress."

Brooke snorted and then rolled onto the other side of the bed. Ben smiled and rolled over, and pulled her close to him, she pressed her fists against his chest and said, "No, no, no."

Ben smiled and kissed her forehead; quietly he moved away and pushed the blankets back. Brooke sighed and rolled onto her side, her fingers knotting into her hair, she smiled at him and said, "You have fun today."

Ben sat down and pulled on his boots, he looked over his shoulder at her and then looked back down at what he was doing.

"Depends on what crosses my desk today." He replied as he stood and grabbed his robe which had been tossed onto the end of the bed. Brooke sat up and said, "Then I hope noting crosses your desk."

Ben smiled and momved around the bed to kiss her, before turning to leave. He smiled at her and she rolled her eyes as she got out of bed to get ready as well.

(/)

Brooke ran down the hall, flashing her pass to any guard who tried to stop her, she walked up to a door and slid her pass through the reader, and smoothed her hair and clothes down before the door opened and she walked quickly to her seat. The long board table had twenty seats around it, all of them were filled but one near the opposite end of it. Brooke maneuvered her way around the table and took her seat. Captian Toll watched her from the otherside of the table before leaning back and looking back at the speaker.

Brooke crossed her arms across her chest and looked to the right of her and down to the table to see almost all of Corasaunt's main military personnel, she frowned, she couldn't have been as important as all these people, what was she doing here?

Someone seemed to recognize her gaze and gave her a tight nod. She returned it and then looked up to the man who had just slammed his palms against the table. She recognized the dark features, but the rest of him seemed foreign, who was he? He gestured around the table to all of them and said, "There are one too many secrets around her, all of us have secrets, we can't stand united is we all have different agendas!"

Captain Toll narrowed his eyes and says, "Ivan, thank you for that, but right now standing united is the least of our worries, right now we need a plan of action. Our intelligence says that the people are preparing to strike again, the question is when and where?"

There were parallel nods around the table and Ivan sat down, the door opened and Brooke looked up to see the tiny woman who seemed to be around Rian at all times, she blinked and clutched the datapad in her hands, she looked at Brooke and cleared her throat in a tiny little cough that made Brooke clench her jaw. She opened her datapad and whispered, "I need to take Commander Norow, right now."

Brooke looked up, almost no one referred to her that way, they all just called her commander, no one ever said her last name. There was silence in the room and the tiny woman coughed again and said, "Is she here right now?"

Brooke stood and said, "I'm here."

The tiny woman seemed to sag in relief, but behind her pretty eyes there was a bitter jealousy. Brooke narrowed her eyes and stepped from behind the table and began to walk towards the woman. She smiled and then said, "thank you, from what I've been told it will only take a little bit of your time.

Brooke followed her out and down the hall that she had just sprinted down to the turbolifts where the woman opened them and stepped inside them. Brooke stood in silence and the tiny woman said, "You know I respect you to the utmost, I was doing a little research on you, and might I say, you have quite a record."

Brooke nodded and the woman smiled and said, "I'm Aubrey but they way, Rian brought me along with him."

Brooke got a good look at the woman then, she was tiny, pretty and petite, with large brown eyes, and golden brown hair, and golden skin. Brooke nodded and said, "Glad to hear that."

The woman smiled and then hugged her datapad to her chest. "The word is that you and your… fiancé, as getting married in a couple of months."

Brooke frowned and then said, "Who told you that?"

The woman covered her mouth in shock and then said, "You mean that you don't know? Everyone had heard about the wedding, I mean I heard from a friend of Rian's who showed up yesterday, she was livid about it."

Brooke swallowed and the doors opened, Aubrey smiled and took her down the hallway, Brooke frowned as she looked cautiously around her, they had to be near Rian's quarters, and Brooke could feel her skin prickling with the tiny bit of danger sense she still had. Aubrey opened the door and brought her inside the room. Brooke stood by the door and Aubrey excused herself to retrieve Rian. As soon as the door closed behind Aubrey, Brooke took a deep breath, and moved towards the desk, she sat down and pulled out the tiny nano chip she had grabbed for this occasion. She plugged it into the databad on the desk and began to download all the files.

The chip's little blue light clicked on and she unplugged it and tucked it into her back pocket. She stood with her hands behind her back and watched the traffic that gleamed beyond the viewport. The door opened and she looked over her shoulder as Rian walked across the carpet towards her. Brooke stood tall and nodded politely, Rian smiled and pulled her into a hug, and he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I haven't done anything wrong have I?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes and said, "Well, you're the one who called me here."

Rian laughed and broke away, he sat down at the desk and said, "of course I did, I have a few things I wanted to talk about with you."

"Such as?" Brooke whispered as she crossed to the front of the desk. Rian smiled and leaned back in the chair before responding, "Well, first things first, would you like a drink?"

Brooke smiled and narrowed her eyes and responded, " You think I'm an idiot."

Rian smiled and said, "How could I possibly think something like that?"

Brooke sat down in one of the chairs opposite of him and said, "Can you please hurry, I have things I need to be doing."

Rian sat back comfortably and stroked his chin softly in thought. He watched the wall behind her for some time before saying, "Yes, well, I was hoping to talk to you about something very important."

"You said that all ready." Brooke whispered, her eyes narrowing in fury. If Rian was just going to waste her time then she had no business here. Rian smiled as he sat back and then said, "A source came to me and said that you and your fiancé are getting married soon."

Brooke smiled and said, "I doubt you'll be getting an invitation."

Rian smiled and he laid his chin on his hand and said, "What makes you think I need an invitation?"

"It's a wedding, you're supposed to be invited." Brooke answered as she crossed her left leg over her right. Rian sighed and then said, "Are you sure you don't want anything to drink?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes and said, "Depends on what you have."

Rian smiled and stood he moved behind her and Brooke started out the viewport and Rian said, "I had quite a different picture of you from before I got here."

Brooke didn't answer and Rian continued, "I thought you would have been glad to see me, after a year."

Brooke smiled and said, "I was glad to see you alive, I can't say I was glad to hear what you had to say."

Rian smiled and handed her the glass, he sat down in the chair behind the desk and took a sip of the bluish liquid. Brooke smiled and swirled hers slightly, looking for small particles to float to the top. Rian raised one of his perfectly kept brows and said, "You think I'm trying to put something in your drink?"

"A habit I guess, after almost dying of stuff being put in my drink once." Brooke responded as she took a small sip satisfied with the fact that nothing was in it. She swallowed and coughed on the syrup like feeling it produced as it went down.

Rian took another sip and said, "Sorry, I have a soft spot for more exotic Correlian flavors."

Brooke shook her head and swallowed again, but the strange stuff wouldn't go down, she coughed a few times and when it had finally gone down, she looked up and said, "No apology necessary, I have a hard time drinking in general."

Rian smiled and said, "Well, now about what I was saying,"

Brooke nodded but her throat closed up and she coughed again. Rian smiled and set his glass down, he moved behind her and said, "Everything alright?"

Brooke coughed again and felt her eyes watering. Rian smiled and laid his hands softly on her shoulders and leaned close to her to whisper in her ear, "Nothing to worry about, everything will be fine in a few minutes."

Brooke coughed and then struggled to stand, the room spun and the glass shattered out of her hand, she watched the blue liquid ooze out in a small circle. She chocked in fear and then flipped around, she grabbed Rian's arm and spit, "What did you give me!"

Rian smiled and grabbed her arm as he reasoned, "Nothing dangerous, you'll just black out for a little bit, and then you'll wake up and you won't remember a thing."

Brooke choked and felt her hand slip from Rian's arm as she stumbled to get to the door and try to get help, Rian watched her and said, "Don't try to fight it, it will only get stronger."

Brooke grabbed a table's edge as she felt her jacket almost tightening around her chest. She grabbed it and pulled it off, throwing it to the side, her body felt hot and then cold again. She grabbed the table edge again, and then stumbled and collapsed to the floor and into blackness.


	10. Chapter 10

**I know this whole story is totally moving like at a speed that most stories don't move at. But for the most part I'm really trying to define, Brooke and Ben's relationship and how it's effecting everyone around them. And coming from feedback that I've been getting from other sources, people are saying that I might need to post what happened before this story, and just to please those nagging voice I've begun writing that story, trouble is, I have an end and beginning, but abseloutly no middle... so for now it remains a document on my computer waiting for that loving touch... anyway, I've also had voices whispering that I'm focusing to much on Brooke and Ben's relationship and I need to move on to other topics... like maybe talking about other characters... problem there is that I would abelsoutly hate to ruin everyone's interpretation of characters, hence why I leave them alone. Anyway, I just need to know what everyone elses thoughts are on the whole rant I just posted, so if anyone has anything to say, I would love to hear it!**

** Thanks those of you who have stuck with the story, I know the updates are slow in coming... **

Slowly she woke up, she was lying on the couch in Rian's quarters, for a moment she recognized that it was dark and that she didn't remember why she was here or what had happened while she was here. Slowly she sat up and grabbed her head in pain. Rian seemed to appear and he took her hand in his, they felt oddly warm against her cold ones. Rian looked worried and he said, "Are you feeling alright? You passed out when you got here, I was getting worried."

Brooke blinked and then swung her feet to try to stand up, all she could think about was that she had to leave. Rian watched her and said, "Do you need someone to go home with you?"

Brooke found her jacket draped over one of the chairs, she quickly pulled it on, wondering why it was off.

"I should be fine, I'm only going a few blocks, and the night air might help me clear my head." She responded as she moved to exit. Rian grabbed her hand and said, "I insist that you let me accompany you."

Brooke pulled her hand away from his grip and said, "I think I can handle it."

She left quickly almost at a sprint, to the turbolifts. She pushed the button and stepped inside, her head ached and all she could think about was that she had to get away. As soon as she was in the lobby she walked briskly out the doors and then started to run down the street to her apartment.

As soon as she was in her apartment, she closed and locked the door. Ben came out from the kitchen and said, "Hey, you okay?"

Brooke flipped around and nodded tightly, Ben moved towards her and grabbed her arms, he kissed her forehead and said, "Are you sure, you look sick."

Brooke shook her head and said, "I'm just a little dizzy."

Ben smiled and pulled her to the couch, he sat her down and then sat down next to her, he slowly turned her so here back was facing him and he massaged her shoulders. Brooke smiled and said, "Since when do you do this stuff for me?"

Ben leaned close to her and whispered, "Since I love you, and I can see that you need it."

Brooke turned to face him and said, "Have I even fainted before?"

Ben blinked and then shook his head as he responded, "Not that I know of."

Brooke frowned and said, "Weird, very weird."

"What is weird?"

"I fainted today. Rian sent for me and so I came and we talked and apparently I fainted while we were talking." Brooke responded.

Ben blinked and said, "He didn't say anything else?"

Brooke shook her head and said, "and now I have really bad headache, and I can't remember what happened after I showed up. All I remember was that I was at a meeting with all the commanders and captains, I got called and then went up to Rian, and after that… everything is all fuzzy."

Ben frowned and said, "And you don't remember even going into the office?"

"oh no, I remember that! It's almost like everything that happened after I entered the office, but I have this weird feeling that I did something in there, and it was really important." Brooke whispered, her eyes narrowing, hew brows knitted together like they generally did when she was deep in thought. Ben sighed and said, "Do you want me to help you remember?"

"Please Ben, not even your father could help me through this." Brooke smiled as she teased Ben. She paused though and reached into her back pocket, and pulled out a nano chip. She turned it over and said, "I don't even know why I have this on me."

Ben took it out of her hands slowly and turned it over, the blue light that signaled a full download had been completed, was on. He turned it back over and said, "maybe you did do something in his office, the only way we're going to know is if we open whatever files are on here."

Ben stood and walked across the room and picked a datapad off the table and slipped the chip in. He frowned as he downloaded all the information onto the datapad. He came back and sat down, he opened all the files, for a moment nothing happened and then one by one the files rearranged themselves. Ben smiled as he flipped through them.

"Apparently you downloaded everything on Rian's datapad onto that chip." Ben said as he opened one of the files. Brooke stood and said, "great so I just found a bunch of stuff that everyone already knows about."

Ben stopped at a locked file, he opened it and the password box came up. He frowned and said, "any idea what Rian would you for a password? It's a set of four numbers."

Brooke rolled her eyes and said, "I don't know, his birth date? How am I supposed to know?"

Ben shrugged and typed in a set of numbers, the box closed and a set of sequenced numbers came up. Ben smiled and said, "I guess I found my way in."

Brooke looked up and said, "how? He's the kriffing Chief of State, it's a locked file he had to have had an impossible code up!"

Ben smiled and said, "GAG officer remember, they taught us universal codes that almost everyone uses, I just guessed which one sounded most like Rian and opened the file."

Brooke blinked and said, "You're kidding right?"

Ben shook his head and sat back as he flipped through the file, he shook his head and said, "This is a problem."

'What it's all false or something?" Brooke said as she tossed her jacket to the side on the table and then sat next to Ben. Ben shook his head and handed her the datapad. Brooke flipped through it and said, "It's everything on me and you."

Ben nodded and then scrolled down farther for her. There were a set of similar files and Brooke opened the first one, then the next, and so on until she had seen all five of them.

"These are all files on missions that we similarly went on, or that were connected, some of them are from back when I was in the Order, and there are like three classified files on Abeloth." Brooke whispered as she opened one of the classified files. Ben shook his head and said, "My dad dleted all this stuff, this should only exist in Jedi Archives, none of it should be accessible to Rian."

"I want to know how he got his hands on the classified stuff, like our files and my files. I embed everything on me in a folder that has a secure network that deleted it unless it recognizes the source that is entering."

Ben sighed and said, "I need to bring this before the Masters, and then eventually prepare the Order for another Daala. The only thing I would love to have on him is anything to do with the Sith."

Brooke tossed the datapad onto the other side of the couch and said, "He's clean in his tracks there, none of these files have anything to do with them."

"That doesn't mean there aren't any." Ben responded as he rose slowly, he looked back down at Brooke and said, "I don't know if I should feel worried that you can't remember what happened in his office today."

Brooke crossed her arms and said, "I'm sure nothing happened, if anything, I was only there for like ten minutes." A small part of her knew that was lie though, she had gone up there at almost noon, and had woken up at night. Ben sighed and said, "Then we have nothing to worry about yet. Until then, please stay away from him."

Brooke rolled her eyes and rose as well, Ben took her hand in his and pulled her close to him, Brooke smiled and said, "How about no?"

Ben smiled and said, "don't make me keep you away from him."

Brooke smiled and slipped away from him, she slipped into the room and Ben watched her golden curls vanish into the dark room before the light came on. He followed her and sat on the edge of the bed, he smiled and said, "Two months right?"

"less than that." She answered as she pulled her shirt off, Ben let his eyes trace her back and shoulders as he said, "About a month?"

Brooke laughed and said, "not even, maybe a month and a half, and we have nothing prepared for this."

Ben pulled his boots off and said, "I thought you said that we didn't need to do any planning."

Brooke rolled her eyes as she slipped her pants off. Ben looked up and said, "I don't see what's so funny about that."

Brooke smiled as she pulled her top on; the simple tank top hugged her frame perfectly. Ben smiled and said, "are you trying to get me to start something?"

Brooke smiled as she pulled the tie out of her curls and ran her fingers through her hair as she said, "What makes you think that?"

Ben rolled his eyes as he smiled and stood to change as well. Brooke slipped by him and he let his hand touch her lower back. She looked at him mischievously and said, "Not tonight Skywalker."

Ben returned her smile and said, "Who says I was starting anything?"

Brooke slipped under the blankets and said, "Don't even let your mind go there."

Ben smiled and pulled his shirt off, he folded it and set it on the dresser. Brooke watched him and then rolled over as Ben slipped into the sheet behind her. He had turned the lights off and all she could see where the white blankets and the dim light that was given off by the light of the speeder traffic. Ben kissed her neck softly and said, "I hope that we can always be like this."

"You and me both." She whispered as she closed her eyes. Ben laid his head above hers and breathed in the smell of her hair and her skin. Ben sighed and kissed her temple softly, he felt her relax in his arms and he melted against her, it seemed as if her very body was made to fit into his. There was nothing but silence for a few minutes, and then Ben could hear her deep breathing that signaled that she had fallen asleep. Ben smiled and closed his own eyes, letting himself drift off to sleep.

(/)

The sky was bright and she stood gripping her hand in a fist to her chest. She could feel him so close yet so far. His heart had wandered away from hers, and another had claimed it. The soul of that woman was so bright and warm, inviting and sound. But underneath she knew the damage, the rotting, that had formed since that woman had been a little girl. What did it take to show him she had a bigger future for him in mind? What did it take to get him to leave her and return?

"Deep thinking again I see."

She narrowed her eyes and tried to ignore the gruff voice behind her. He had been the one to orchestrate the whole plan, from the poison to the most minor details. She turned and said, "Thinking deeply helps me to see what to do next."

The man sat in shadow, but she knew his face by heart now, his face permenatly inked with patterns that reminded her of Kesh, but he was so different, so much more than anyone she had ever known. It had taken her years ot find him, and when she had he had promised her a place in the reborn world he saw, and perhaps there was a place for Ben. She turned back to the window returning her mind and heart to Ben, he stood and she heard his heavy boots steps as he stepped up behind her.

"Don't let his ideas fool you, I can see into his heart, it truly dooes belong to you, and I will do everything in my power to bring him along with us."

In the dim light Vestara smiled and snorted, "He's too light, his father raised him a certain way. You would have to shatter his world to turn him."

The man smiled and laid a hand tightly on her shoulder and said, "Exactly, Rian will handle that part of it, you will do your part as well."

Vestara turned to look at him and said, "I want her head in my hands, her blood sprayed across my robes. I want her dead."

He smiled and cupped her chin his hand, and he whispered, it was almost a purr, "Good girl. That is the anger you need to have, soon, you will have what you desire."

Vestara smiled as well and pulled away, and went to finally sleep, she could rest now, knowing that soon, the bitch that stole Ben from her would pay, and she would feel so much more pain than the last time they had met.


	11. Chapter 11

Brooke woke slowly, and she felt Ben hug his arm around her hips and pull her tightly to him. She smiled as he kissed her temple and then her neck, and slowly his lips traced their way down to her shoulder, she caught his hand and whispered, "We need to get ready."

Ben sighed and she felt him pull away softly, the sun barely pushed through the blinds, and Brooke traced one of the slanted rays. She closed her eyes and perfected the picture in her mind before sitting up and saying, "That stuff we read last night, you don't think he has other files on there that we didn't see, like coded files?"

Ben looked up from dressing and said, "I guess, it's worth a shot to look again, maybe a fresh set of eyes looking wouldn't hurt either." He commented to himself as he pulled on his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair. Brooke sighed and then said, "Didn't you wear that yesterday?"

Ben glanced down at his shirt and frowned. "No, not that I know of that is." He responded softly before grabbed his robe which he had hung on the edge of the bed. Brooke watched him and then smiled, she hugged her knees to her chest and said, "when all this goes down, you think he'll realize the stupidity in his move?"

Ben snorted and responded, "I wouldn't know. I mean you and I know Sith better than he does, I really think he doesn't know that he's making a huge mistake."

Brooke frowned and brushed her bangs out of her face, Ben moved around the bed and cupped her face in his hands, he kissed her warmly and when he was done, he kissed the side of her mouth and said, "I love you, there's nothing that could change that."

Brooke smiled and turned her head to kiss Ben's palm softly, she leaned her head into his hand and said, "Promise this is for forever?"

"I promise this is for eternity." Ben responded softly before he kissed her cheek, Brooke felt his hand leave her face and she knew he was gone. For a moment, she wished she had remained a Jedi, so that she could leave with him, be with him every day. She heard the door close and she sighed as she fell back among the blankets. She closed her eyes and rolled over, she heard the door open and she lifted her head up, and narrowed her eyes. When she heard someone moving into the room, she narrowed her eyes and slipped out of the bed, grabbing her blaster off the table next to her. She set it from stun to kill and said, "Alright Ben, very funny! I have my blaster on kill now!"

The movement stopped and she held the weapon up in front of her as she stepped quietly across the floor to the door. She looked around the corner and then flipped around it, the weapon pointed at the shadow she had just seen. Her heart hammered and she quieted it quickly, she looked over her shoulder, and took a deep breath after she felt satisfied that no one was behind her.

She moved into the room, and the soft breeze from the open balcony doors blew across the room. She watched the doors and then moved across the room to close them. Something dropped from behind her and she flipped around, her heart racing. She narrowed her eyes, she'd trained hundreds of hours for moments like this, fear wasn't supposed to be an emotion she felt at the moment. She took a deep breath and turned around to continue crossing to the door.

She reached them after what felt like infinity, and softly closed them, she looked at the reflection that was in them, and for a moment she saw another shadow near her. She flipped around, her blaster raised, and she felt fury at the fact that her hand was shaking slightly. A small shadow moved near the corner of her eye and she turned her head to see what it was. She saw small little white flakes littering the floor. Slowly Brooke moved towards them, looking over her shoulder every so often to make sure no one was following her. When she reached them, she crouched down and touched one, it melted when she touched it and then she heard the crash.

She was up and her blaster fired a round of shots at the sound, there was a cry of pain and a thud as something hit the ground. Brooke felt her chest rising and falling quickly, and she quelled the fear inside her long enough to move towards the couch where whatever it was had fallen. She moved behind the couch and felt her heart racing, the figure was lying on the floor faced down, with a hood covering its head. She pointed the blaster at it and rested her finger on the trigger.

The Force seemed to scream in her ear and she screamed as someone grabbed her from behind. In that one instant her training seemed to kick in and she flipped her captor over her shoulder onto the floor. They scrambled up though and slammed into her, taking her over the back of the couch and into to the table. She screamed in pain and threw her captor off of her, they knocked the couch backwards and Brooke stumbled up, dazed from hitting the top of the table and ran to the room. As she stumbled though, another one was on top of her, she rolled and came up on top, her fist finished in the captor's face. They grabbed her fist and twisted it, Brooke screamed in pain and they threw her onto the ground and then straddled her legs so she couldn't move.

They pulled their mask off that had been covering their lower face and then pulled their hood off as well. Black hair trailed down past her neck and the woman pushed it behind her face, Brooke could see the blood that was trickling from the woman's mouth from where Brooke's fist had met the woman's jaw.

The woman smiled and spit blood out to the side, she pinned Brooke's hands above her head and said, "He sure picks the pretty ones."

Brooke struggled under her and screamed, trying to get the attentions of anyone near her, to call for help. The woman covered Brooke's mouth with her hand and said, "Shush, we don't need any of that now."

Brooke's eyes widened as the woman pulled the knife off her belt, she very softly placed the tip on Brooke's cheek and said, "We don't want any trouble, all we want is the chip with all the info on it. It's very important."

Brooke narrowed her eyes as bit the woman's hand as hard as she could, the woman screamed in pain and then put her fist into Brooke's solar plexus. Brooke felt all the air in her body leave in a single breath of air.

The woman narrowed her eyes and said, "I see how it's going to be then, well, I'll just have to finish this later."

She slammed the butt of the knife into the side of Brooke's head, slowly, black spots appeared on the edge of her vision and they swelled until they had consumed her whole sight.

(/)

Ben had known they were coming, he had known something was so very wrong when he had left the apartment, and as he ran back, he cursed at his stupidity. He should have stayed, he should have listened to his instincts and stayed.

His heart raced as he pushed open the doors to the apartment. A few people were panicking and he stopped when he saw why. Someone was holding a little girl by the braids, the girl was crying and screaming for her mother. Ben shoved through the crowd and they eventually parted to let the man holding the little girl see him. Ben pulled his lightsaber off his belt and the man smiled, he threw the girl to the side and pulled his own weapon off.

Before Ben had time to prepare himself, the man's crimson lightsaber was slashing through the air towards his shoulder. Ben pivoted out of the way and then finished his parry with a round house kick to the man's gut. The man choked as all the air in his body fled. Ben looked around and shouted to the crowd, "Go!"

They all scattered and Ben flipped around in time to cut a table that had been thrown at him in half. He grabbed one of the halves with the Force and threw it back at the man who easily swatted it aside, Ben leaped then. His lightsaber crashed with his opponents, and he pushed upwards, trying to push the man off balance. He drove his knee into the man thigh, but the man kicked his other leg sending Ben sprawling onto his back.

Ben rolled as the lightsaber came down right where his head had been a moment ago. He somersaulted away and grabbed one of wood shards and threw it behind him. The Sith choked in surprise and deflected the vain attempt at ending the battle easily. Ben cursed softly and then pulled the blaster out from his belt and shot a round of blasts at the Sith's chest. The man laughed as he deflected each one with his hand.

"Stupid Jedi." He said as he threw a small round cylinder at Ben. Ben leaped out of the way as the Force screamed for him to move. He rolled and came up in a crouch again, the cylinder exploded and Ben felt the glass of a nearby shattering window cut his arms and neck. He covered his face and blindly somersaulted away from the blast. When he came up he immediately put his lightsaber up to block his opponents fury of swings.

Ben could feel his sweat from the heat of combat and his blade running down his neck and face as he was quickly pushed onto the defensive. He tried to find a small escape route to give himself time to rest for a moment. His opponent opened his hand and shoved Ben backwards against the wall. He felt his head slam into the wall and Ben cried out in pain and shock. He slid down the wall and his opponent kicked his lightsaber away. Ben closed his eyes for a moment and he touched the hilt of his mother's viroblade. It was his last weapon he had now, he clutched it tightly and when the Sith bent down to finish him off, Ben thrust the weapon up into the man's sternum. The man choked and coughed up blood. Ben shoved the man's body off of himself and then stood up, he sighed and pulled his viroblade out of the man's dead body. He tucked the weapon on his belt and whispered, "Stupid Sith."

He stopped outside the door to the apartment and when he stepped inside he felt his blood run cold. A battle of its own had been fought here. He moved quickly and eventually found Brooke lying on her back, her chest rising and falling steadily, he grabbed her shoulder and when she opened her eyes and looked up at him, he relaxed. She closed her eyes again and said, "the Sith are here."

Ben snorted and pulled her up into her arms, she laid her head on his shoulder and he replied softly, "You don't say."

"Don't be such a smart ass." Brooke's comment was meant to be harsh, but as long as she could joke like that Ben knew that she was fine. That didn't mean they hadn't hurt her though, that didn't even begin to quell his worry for her. She opened her eyes and said, "You're hurt."

Ben looked down and saw the small trickles of blood that ran down his arms, he shrugged and said, "A few cuts won't kill me, as long as you're safe, and they didn't hurt you."

He helped her up and she pushed her hiar back, confident on her feet once again. Her eyes scanned the room and she said, "they came for the files I took."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Ben whispered as he moved over towards the window and opened the doors, "How'd they get in here though?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes and grabbed her blaster off the floor, she turned it over a few times, making sure it hadn't been tampered with and then said, "Through the window I suppose." She put the blaster down on the table and said, "How did you know to come back?"

"I had a bad feeling for the moment I left this morning." Ben moved about slowly, looking for any hint or clue that could put him in a new direction on how to start looking for these Sith, right now all he had was that they were superior fighters, but extremely arrogant.

Brooke narrowed her eyes and said, "care to explain that vision you had a couple weeks ago?"

Ben looked up his eyes betraying his confusion, then they lit up when he understood. He turned away and said, "it doesn't matter this doesn't have anything to do with it."

Brooke came up behind him and took his hand. "Don't lie, what was the vision about?"

Ben turned to look at her and she said, "Please Ben, tell me. I deserve to know if it involves me."

Ben sighed, his eyes closing, he knew that he couldn't have kept it from her forever, but he wished that he could. Wordlessly, he broke away and sat down on the couch, she sat next to him, her hands closing around his.

Ben closed his eyes once more and said, "I saw… a dark place, a place where there was no light, a pit if you will. And in that pit were people I knew, and they were all crying for help, begging for help, and when I looked up I saw you, standing on a bridge above the pit, bending down to pull someone up, and you weren't looking behind you-"

He broke off and shook his head, his throat was closing up with fear and the agony of the vision, she squeezed his hand in hers and said, "what happened?"

He closed his eyes again, willing to go back to the pit and the bridge, and then said, "I saw Vestara, she came up behind you and you slipped. You fell into the pit, but no one caught you, you just kept falling until I couldn't see you anymore. I went after you and when I fell into the black, I saw a room with you in it, you were just sitting there and when I went to you, you just fell over, and looked at me… you were dead… and Vestara was just standing there laughing, your blood was everywhere-"

Brooke placed her forehead against his cheek and whispered, "You don't have to say anymore, I get the just of it."

Ben closed his eyes and Brooke laid her head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered, "I would never let her hurt you."

Brooke looked up, and whispered, "I know."

(/)

Ben begged Brooke to come to the temple with him, to act as if she were merely inspecting, so that he could keep an eye on her. She had refused for an hour, the argument that had ensured led to her slamming a door. Ben knew that these were supposed to take place, couples were supposed to fight, argue, whatever it was, but this kind of fighting worried him. They were getting married in almost a month and Brooke was angry at him for trying to protect her.

Beyond the door Brooke slid down onto the bed, her head fell into her hands and she sofly cursed. She really shouldn't have slammed the door in his face like that, in fact she should open it right now and run to him. But a part of her knew that if she was going to get her way in this fight she would need to lay down the line of when and where Ben would be allowed to protect her.

She laid back on the blankets and covered her face, she sighed and then shouted, "You can't protect me forever!"

Ben laid his head against on the door and replied, "Will you just open the door?"

Brooke sighed and then rolled away from the door so she was facing the headboard of the bed, she sighed again and then shouted, "Just open it, it isn't locked."

Ben blinked for a moment the opened the door, he stopped in the doorway and said, "I thought it was locked."

Brooke rolled over then sat up, she gave ben a questioning look and said, "why would I lock the door after slamming it in your face?"

"I don't know, to make sure I don't come in?" Ben offered as he sat down on the edge of the bed near her, he reached out and took her hand said, "I don't want to protect you forever, I just don't want to lose you. Not like I lost my mom, or Ves, or my dad… I've lost so many people I know, all because I made mistakes, and those mistakes cost me almost everything… I can't lose you too."

Brooke sighed and said, "that's really touching Ben, but you didn't lose those people because you made mistakes, your mother died because she was trying to save you, she made a choice, you didn't make her. Vestara… she's just a bitch who has no heart… and your dad died because of something you couldn't control. You need to stopping pinning everything on your shoulders and walking around with it hanging there. It's like that joke we played when we were little and we pinned up that sign on Kam's back and then everyone went around snickering. People see those things Ben, and they take advantage of it, don't let people take advantage of you."

Ben looked up at her and said, "I thought you'd forgotten about that."

Brooke laughed and then laid her head on his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his bicep and said, "I would never forget anything I ever did with you."

Ben laid his head on hers and then whispered, "then you remember how I told my dad it was you."

Brooke laughed and then closed her eyes as she replied, "of course I do Ben, and I remember how you avoided me for two weeks because you were too ashamed to tell me."

Ben smiled and kissed her hair softly, she sighed and then said, "Captian Toll's going to wonder where I am. It's going to worry him if I don't show up."

Ben let go of her as she rose and crossed to the drawers to get dressed, he watched her for a few moments before saying, "I'll come with you."

Brooke sighed and said, "we talked about this, I don't need you protecting me."

"I'm not going to protect you, I'm just going with you, because I was hoping to speak with Rian about something." Ben replied, his hands clasping in his lap, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't think I'm always trying to protect you."

Brooke sighed and grabbed her jacket as she pulled it on, and then pulled her hair up, Ben watched her and then said, "We're getting married in a few weeks."

Brooke looked at him and said, "I know. When are we doing the Jedi ceremony?"

Ben blinked and looked up from the carpet, he frowned and cocked his head to the side as he thought about it and then said, "I would venture to say the day before we have the actual wedding."

Brooke smiled and then looked at him over her shoulder as she pulled her belt on. "Sounds good, I've been thinking though, about the actual wedding."

Ben smiled and said, "You're not changing your mind about having a small wedding are you?"

Brooke snorted and said, "No, I still want a small wedding, but I was thinking about having it on either my home world, or maybe a smaller planet."

Ben shrugged and stood to follow her out into the living room, they both looked at it for a moment and then ben said, "we're going to have to fix this all when you get back."

Brooke sighed and then said, "remind me when I get back, because I'll probably-"

A couple GAG soldiers arrived and Ben grabbed for his lightsaber, the troopers weapons were pointed up and one of them shouted for them to not move. Brooke narrowed her eyes and said, "what in space is going on!"

Captian Toll arrived and shoved one of the troopers weapson down.

"Barrels down you idiots!" He stormed across the room to Ben and said, "We heard about the fight, did you get a look at him?"

Ben shook his head and said, "his body should still be down-"

"there's a blood trail, but no body." Captial Toll replied, his eyes narrowing, he looked at Brooke and said, "And as for you, we need to talk, right now."

Brooke's eyes widened and she followed Captain Toll out, Ben stayed behind and the troopers moved about uncomfortably, not sure in what they were supposed to do now.

Captain Toll stopped them out in the hallway and said, "DO have any idea how worried I was? I thought you were dead, you couldn't have bothered to check in?"

Brooke sighed and replied, "my apologies, I had a late start and then all this started." She gestured to the room and the Captian Toll narrowed his eyes and beckoned Ben over. Ben crossed out of the room and stepped near the Captian.

"Master Skywalker, I'm afraid we have some serious problems, there has been about ten of these coordinated attacks this morning, all of them on high level GAG commanders, this is the tenth today. I need to know anything you haven't already told me."  
Ben blinked and replied, "You know all that I know, and that's that these are highly trained Sith. I don't know who they are, or where they're from, but they are here, and-"

"Actually I didn't know they were Sith, but thanks for waiting to share it with me." Captian Toll hissed he looked at Brooke and said, "Did you know they were Sith?"

"Not until they attacked me sir." Brooke replied, her eyes narrowing, before she said, "Is anyone hurt or dead?"

"Commander of communications is dead, other than that, no one." Captian Toll said, his hands clenching into fists. He looked at Ben and spit, "You and you're Jedi better deal with this, or there will be problems between you and me."

Ben narrowed his eyes and replied, "I hardly know anything, and you want me to hunt down possibly a whole legion of Sith."

Captain Toll narrowed his eyes and said, "Yes, you're the Jedi, you're supposed to hunt down the Sith."

Ben laughed and replied softly, "Captain Toll, then we have ultimetly failed you. We don't hunt down the Sith, in fact the last time I saw Sith was almost a year ago."

Captain Toll narrowed his eyes and Brooke grabbed Ben's hand then said, "We shouldn't talk like this, we don't know what the Sith are after, all I know is that they came demanding for a chip that had data on it from Rian's files."

Captain Toll's eyes widened and he said, "you did it then? You got the files?"

Brooke nodded and said, "but their probably gone now, they took them while I was unconscious I think."

Captain Toll cursed and then said, "Did you look at them?"

Brooke nodded and replied quietly, "There was a lot of personal files on there, mostly files that only the Jedi should have been able to see, and privet information that I have on a secret file in my computer."

Captain Toll blinked and then said, "Any idea how he got his hands on those files?"

Ben shook his head and replied, "Unfortunately, that was a lead that has gone cold now."

Captain Toll sighed and said, "never mind then, Commander I have need of you at head quarters, Master Skywalker, see to it that you begin a search for these Sith."

Toll began a brisk walk down the hall, calling the troopers to him, and then Brooke gave Ben a tired smile before following her captain. Ben stood frozen for a moment, only one dead, and the Sith had been targeting important officials. Something sounded highly familiar about that…

Then it hit him like a blast of cold water, the Jedi had pulled the exact same stunt years before when they took back Corasaunt, that meant the Sith would soon start targeting actual government officials. He pulled his chomlink out and called Jaina. She answered and waited for him to speak, Ben swallowed and whispered, "Assign a Jedi master or Jedi Knight to a government official, make sure higher level officials have masters, Jaina, the Sith are doing exactly what we did."

(/)

Brooke sat with Captain Toll in the large office building at the GAG headquarters where he had walked with her quickly after leaving her apartment. He sat in his chair and massaged his temples, Brooke sat across the desk from him, her hands in her lap, and she played with her ring pretending to be deep in thought.

Captain Toll looked up eventually and whispered, "Are you sure you're alright?"

Brooke sighed and replied, "I'm fine sir, if I wasn't, you would know."

Captain Toll rose slowly and then walked over to the viewport that looked out at the Corasaunt afternoon, he stood with his arms behind his back and his hands interlocked. Brooke waited for him to speak and when he did it was soft and careful, "Brooke my dear, we need to talk about this whole thing you have with the Grand Master."

Brooke narrowed her eyes but bit her tongue. Toll turned to look at her after several minutes and said softly, "I think that as your superior commander, I'm going to have to call the whole thing off."

Brooke clenched her fists and whispered, "I'm afraid you can't do that. You can't seriously expect me to follow that order."

Toll slammed his hands on the desk and said, "This isn't something to be debated!"

Brooke stood, her hands itching to slam on the desk as well. "You can't and you won't! You said so yourself that you wished us the best of luck!"

"Well things changed," He replied coldly, "for starters you were attacked by Sith! For spaces sake they could have killed you! Where would I have been then?"

Brooke felt her heart closing in on itself, and she sank back into her chair. Toll massaged his temples again and said, "When all this is over, then we can close the deal, and you two can be as happy as you want to."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and stood up, her eyes were brimming with an unknown source of tears, as she whispered, "I can't believe this. I trusted you more than anything, and you, you shattered everything I know about you."

She turned to leave and Toll whispered, "Please, tell Master Skywalker my order, I'm sure he'll understand."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and slammed the door as she left.

She walked down the halls and every trooper saluted her, but she ignored them, she feared that if she stopped, then she would crack right in front of everyone. She shoved open the doors and stormed across the plaza, to a speeder that she planned to take anywhere but where she was at the very second.

Brooke sat on the couch in her apartment and held her head in her hands, she stared at the floorboards, and thought through how she planned to explain this to Ben. The door opened and she looked up to see Ben standing there, his face looked tired and his steps were heavy. He sat next to her and she buried her face in his shoulder, he pulled her into her arms and she sobbed into his shoulder.

She couldn't let go of him, she could never let go of him. Toll would have to literally pull her away from him if he wanted to separate them. Ben laid his head on her hair and whispered, "I already know, you don't have to tell me what he said."

"Ben, I would never let go of you." Brooke whispered, "No one could make me, not Vestara, especially not Captain Toll."

Ben sighed and whispered, "I love you, but you know that already."

Brooke smiled and nodded, her sobs having subsided. Ben leaned back and she curled up in his arms, he was her safe house, the place where it was okay to cry and to break down, because he respected everything about her.

He kissed her neck softly and then undid her jacket enough to kiss the small scars on her shoulders.

She buried her face in his neck and he whispered in her ear, "We're going to get through this, I promise."

She nodded and he held her as tightly to him as he could, his heart threatening to explode with the love he felt for her. He buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath, the sweet scent calmed him and his hands tightened their grip on her hips. She shifted slightly and then settled again, her head resting on Ben's shoulder. He stroked her curls softly and then kissed the top of her head; he rested his cheek then on her head and closed his eyes.


End file.
